Enemies
by P.A.R
Summary: A look at the history of the Unspeakable Orion Black.
1. Default Chapter

A/N: Yes, there are Author's Notes. Live with it!

Just a note to you guys. Postings will, for the most part, be earlier in the day than you are used to.

The reason? My new job is a lot stricter about internet usage than my last one was. At my last job I could sit about half the day and check reviews and do whatever else I wanted on the internet. 

At my new job this is frowned upon and, while not an overly punishable offense, is discouraged. So I can no longer post stories late on Sunday and happily wait until Monday morning to get on the internet at work to check my reviews. I have to either get them Sunday night or Monday night, with a whole lot of waiting inbetween.

So, read fast, review quick.

Oh, and kudo's going out to one of my reviewers. Don't know if she's still with me or not. Lotesse, back in the chapter of The Bonds That Tie that had Katlin in it, commented that perhaps Katlin's part in the story was that I was going to reform her and marry her off to Sirius. Well, I had been playing around with the idea of what to do with Katlin's character before that review came in. I liked the character and wanted to bring her into the story arc as a continuing character, but couldn't think of how. So, where as I didn't use Lotesse's suggestion entirely, I do give her credit for nudging me to be brave enough to push forward with this story idea. Thank you.

And, as always.......,

Enjoy.

Chapter One-Part B: So There I Was, Just Freezing My Astrix Off In The Snow

Orion arrived at the Department the next morning only to be called almost immediately into Bale's office.

"Well?" His superior asked as Orion stood standing before his desk. "What did you get?"

Orion dropped a piece of parchment on Bale's desk without a word.

The Department head looked it over, then looked up at his agent with a deep scowl. "What is this?" He demanded.

"It's her grandmother's favorite cake recipe." Orion replied formally.

Bale's scowl deepened. "I fail to find any humor in this, Black."

"And I don't like having my missions intruded on." Orion shot back.

Bale sat silently behind his desk for a moment staring at the man before him. "You expressed concern that the meeting might be a trap." He replied finally. "I sent back-up. I wasn't aware it would be a problem."

"You're 'back-up' is the reason you didn't get more than a cake recipe." Orion stated. "She was willing to talk....up until the others started tripping my alarms and alerted her to their presence. She thought I had betrayed the meeting and bolted."

"The others reported that they didn't find anyone at the arranged meeting place. Not even you." Bale stated slowly.

"Because I tried to track her while the spell's trail was still fresh."

"And?"

"At the other end of the apparition point she apparently used a portkey with a block on it. I couldn't trace her after that."

"Why didn't you return to the meeting sight and report?"

"Because this morning I'd have been explaining dead Aurors to you, Sir." Orion stated as he punctuated the last word. "I wasn't given any information about any back-up at all. They interrupted a very important and dangerous meeting for no reason at all that I could understand. They caused my contact to flee. They lost us a chance to establish a contact within Voldemort's ranks. And because of their interference, all you're getting out of it is a cake recipe."

Bale sat rigidly behind his desk. Orion knew he stepped too far some times. But he also knew the Department would never support Bale's probably frequent requests to get rid of him. He was simply too good at what he did. But he knew all too well he was going to pay for his outburst.

Payday came sooner than Orion expected. That evening before he left work, he was called into a staff meeting where a new mission was being discussed by Bale and three of his senior Department heads. The mission was in an area of Austria, and involved little more than playing currier. A job Bale knew all too well would grate Orion nerves to the breaking point. The job was tedious, boring, and would take about a week of standing about in the snow waiting for a contact that may or may not ever show up. But Bale had insisted on Orion's giving the contact a week's worth of time to show up.

The next morning Orion grudgingly apparated to the small town he was suppose to meet the contact in and settled into his hotel. All in all it wasn't nearly as bad as he had expected it to be. The town, while small, was really a quaint little village at the base of the mountains. The main industry seemed to be the ski lodge Orion had settled himself into. But still, a week's worth of doing nothing more than waiting was going to be a week's worth of torture for him.

Orion quickly decided that stuck in the snow without a real desire to be there was about as depressing as anything in the world could get. The lodge was filled with happy snow skiers as well as a varied assortment of snowbunnies, the majority of whom spent the day trying to catch the eye of the tall, dark haired man who spent most of his day sitting in one of the high wing-backed chairs by the fire, reading.

On the third day, bored out of his mind, Orion decided that perhaps what the trip needed was some variety. Something to simply break-up the monotony of sitting in the lobby every day while he waited for a the appointed meeting time to roll around each night when he was treated to trudging out to a site in the woods and waiting for several hours in freezing weather for no one to show up. 

And so starting out the next morning, he set out for the town to do some site-seeing. He spent a good part of the day wandering through shops. But by afternoon had decided that there truly was nothing on Earth that was going to salvage his free time and Bale would get his revenge by boring him to death. And so wrapped back in his feeling of monotony, Orion headed back for the ski lodge.

Walking towards the street that would take him to the lodge lift, Orion looked up from the pavement and abruptly stopped in his tracks. Standing before him, staring wistfully into the window of a small shop, was the woman who had been occupying so much of his mental free time over the past few weeks and had treated him to one of the most erotic dreams of his life the night before.

At first Orion found he couldn't do anything but stare at her. She wasn't dressed in her robes as she stood in front of the store window. Instead she wore muggle clothing that, as it wrapped itself about her body, looked even more pleasing than he had pictured her a couple of hundred times a day. Two long, slender legs, covered in black stockings, disappeared up under a black skirt that was short enough to challenge any concept that the wearer was even remotely warm. Along with it she wore a bright green blouse that was partially covered by a heavy, black wool jacket.

Watching her for a few more moments, Orion finally managed to get his feet to move forward until he was standing next to her in front of the same window. The display was for the jewelry store inside.

"Bit cold to be dressed like that." Orion said finally, trying to think of an appropriate place to start a conversation with someone your suppose to be killing, not chatting up on the street.

"One would have thought you'd frozen completely yourself for as long as you were standing there staring at me." Katlin replied.

Orion wasn't the least bit surprised by the fact that the woman had been aware of his presence all the while he had been watching her. "Well, one doesn't often see Deatheaters in this area."

"Anymore than one sees Unspeakables."

The same uncomfortable silence fell between them again.

"So" Orion said finally, still staring in the window and having not once looked at the woman standing next to him, although his body was keenly aware of her presence, "what is it that's of such interest that you came all this way just to stand on the street and stare at it through a window?"

Katlin pulled a wool mittened hand out of her jacket pocket and pointed forlornly at a small, diamond pendant in the display. 

Orion looked the piece over, then glanced at the price set in front of it. For such a small thing, he wondered, how in the name of heaven, did they come up with such a large price tag?

"It's very pretty." He said eventually, as that he could think of absolutely nothing else to say.

Katlin had gone back to staring wistfully at it. "Yes it is." She replied quietly. "And far out of my price-range."

"So, what does bring a Deatheater to Austria?" He asked.

Katlin shrugged. "Call it a vacation if you must."

"I wasn't aware Deatheaters took vacations."

"I said 'if you must'." She repeated. "And what brings you here?"

Orion turned to her for the first time, giving her a slight smile. "Call it a vacation...if you must." He replied.

Katlin sighed quietly. "Well, enjoy your 'vacation', Orion." She said and, after taking one last long look at the pendent, turned and headed off down the street.

Orion watched her for a minute, then suddenly found his feet following after her at a pace fast enough to catch up to her.

"Look," he said after they walked along for a few moments in silence, "since your here on vacation as well, why don't we at least have a pleasant day of it?"

Katlin turned sharply to him. "What?" She asked in surprise.

"Well, you're not currently here as a Deatheater. I'm not currently here as an Auror. So, what would you say to dinner?"

Katlin abruptly stopped, staring at Orion as he stood next to her with his arm out. She frowned at him at first, but then it slowly melted into a smile as she slipped her arm through his. 

"All right." She agreed. "What could it hurt, I suppose."

Orion happily returned the smile as they started off down the street again. But suddenly he found himself not in nearly so much of a hurry to get back to the lodge. 

As the time past by as they browsed shop windows, he couldn't remember ever enjoying being with someone more. Katlin was as intelligent as she was beautiful, and had a sharp wit that played well against his own somewhat dry sense of humor. She was also perfectly charming out of her Deatheater role, and every bit as sexy as he imagined her to be. As hard as he tried, he simply couldn't reconcile with himself what this woman was doing with Voldemort and his Deatheaters.

But whenever he asked her anything about her role with the Deatheaters, he quickly learned there were going to be rules to play by. And any questions of that nature were most definitely out of bounds. And so he quickly gave up and accepted that she wasn't going to allow him anywhere near her private life. So instead they stuck to less invasive topics of conversation. Orion was delight to soon find Katlin was absolutely nuts about Quidditch. He doubted a man in his Department could have stumped her with a single question. She was practically a walking book of facts and figures about the teams and the players. And since Orion was equally enthralled with the sport, it lent itself to being a fairly neutral ground for them to build on. As they past the small jewelry shop again, Orion noted that it was likely the third time they had gone past it, having made three complete circuits of the market area in the center of the town.

"So," Orion stated as they stopped in front of the display window again. "Have you managed to work up enough of an appetite yet for dinner?"

"Hmmmm?" Katlin replied absently. She was once again staring forlornly into the window at the small pendent. 

Orion followed her stare as a sudden idea struck him.

"Suppose I buy it for you?" He asked, rocking back and forth on his heels as he continued to stare in the display window.

Katlin gave a sharp turn for the second time. "What?"

But Orion had already disappeared into the tiny jewelry shop.

Katlin stood outside, watching as the store clerk came over and removed the small pendent from the display. A few seconds later Orion stepped back outside and walked over to her, presenting her with a small, black box.

Katlin took it slowly from him with a guarded stare.

"Why?" She asked finally, all the suspicion from before coming back into her violet eyes.

"Well," Orion replied, "consider it an apology. I'm sorry for pulling your hair...when we first met."

He was rewarded with a pleasant, appreciative smile. "Well, then," She answered, "I'm apologize for kicking you...in the field."

Orion watched with a pleased smile as Katlin slipped off her mittens and took the necklace out of the box and put it on with a smile of pure pleasure. She stroked her hand over it carefully, feeling every detail in it. Slowly her eyes turned back to Orion, staring up at him from beneath her long lashes.

"You realize," she stated flatly, "that all you're going to get for this is sex?" 

Orion paused for a moment, trying not to let his surprise show.

"I was just looking for dinner." He replied with a slight frown. "But if it comes to that, apparently we don't have to dicker over the price now."

"I'm no whore." Katlin snapped at the insult. "I just don't want there to be any misunderstandings."

"Well, there's already been one." Orion replied, gesturing to the pendent that hung about her perfectly shaped neck. "That was nothing more than a present."

"To a woman you just met?"

"We've met before."

"And where exactly was that fitting in, might I ask? Or are you just some nutter who likes to first bed the people you're going to kill?"

"First of all, I'm not the one who suggested that. And what exactly did you think I was going to do? Have dinner with you, have sex with you, and then kill you?"

"Were you?"

Orion was truly shocked. "No."

"Then why are you so interested in taking a Deatheater to dinner?"

"I'm not." Orion stated, pausing as he took a deep breath. "All I am looking for is to take a very beautiful woman out to dinner because otherwise I'm going to spend just one more evening bored to death."

Katlin paused, but then met his eyes with a hard stare. "You have to understand," she said quietly, "I'm suspicious by nature. That's how you stay alive." She paused as her expression softened just the slightest bit. "I thought you would have understood that."

"And some times you get tired of being suspicious of everyone." Orion replied. "All I'm asking for is dinner. Nothing past that....unless....you know....I can get you drunk and take advantage of you." He added with a sly smile.

"Oh, I don't think you'll have to get me drunk." She replied with a smile.

Orion returned the smile nervously. She was being unbelievably forward and he was getting right tired of being a gentleman about it. Especially when his body, as well as his mind, were fighting him every inch of the way.

"Let's start with dinner." He suggested, again holding his arm out to her.

Katlin paused, and then nodded as she slipped her arm through his again, her other hand coming up to her throat as it stroked her present again.

Orion found himself laying in bed the next morning, staring at the small pendent as it lay against smooth white skin, framed by long, thick strands of dark auburn hair. Slowly he rolled over on his back and stared at the ceiling above him.

Could things possibly get any more complicated in his life at the moment? For weeks all he had thought about was the auburn haired woman he had met under the worst possible circumstances. Now he found himself in bed with her after a night of what had to rank as the best sex of his life. And his brain didn't seem to be able to want to think any further than the next time.

Dinner had been absolutely wonderful. As long as they never wandered into forbidden territory with the conversation, he found Katlin to be a wonderful conversationalist. Half-way through dinner he had stopped worrying about who she was or what she may have done in the past and simply gave himself over to enjoying her company. It was only for a few days, and he deserved a little recreation. Especially while he was stuck in the snow waiting for his contact. 

Katlin shifted under the covers, pulling them up closer to her chin. Smiling slightly, Orion leaned over and lightly placed his lips to her's. He could feel the smile forming under his lips.

She muttered something under his lips as she finally opened to his kiss.

Orion shifted his position until he was laying over her again, holding her in a passionate embrace as he kissed her again. After several long, pleasurable minutes, he pulled back.

"Good morning?" He asked as he smiled down at her.

Two brilliant violet eyes stared up at him past a smile. "It's showing some definite promise." She replied.

"Hungry?"

"I seem to have worked up something of an appetite."

Orion rolled back over and picked up the phone. While he ordered breakfast for them, Katlin disappeared into the bathroom, only to come out a few minutes later wearing a thick bathrobe.

She walked back over to the bed and stood in front of Orion as he sat on the edge of it. A small smile crept over his face as he reached up and tugged on the sash of her robe.

"So tell me," he asked, "what is a pretty little Deatheater like you doing this far from home?"

Katlin frowned slightly as she took a step back.

"Look," she stated, "just to keep things straight and uncomplicated, I thought we had agreed to some ground rules?"

"Ground rules?"

"I won't asked you about your business and you don't ask me about mine." She said.

"I'm just here on vacation." Orion replied with an innocent smile.

"I couldn't care if you were here to assassinate the king."

"Single minded little soul, aren't you? So tell me, do you often end up sleeping with Aurors you just met?"

"One of the best ways I've found to get information."

Orion raised an eyebrow at her, earning himself a playful slap on the shoulder and a smile.

"I told you." She replied to his question. "It's just sex. Nothing more. All right? I won't even asked you any questions if it makes you feel better."

"Darn." Orion stated with a mischievous smile. "And I was so hoping you were planning on trying to torture something out of me."

"Well," she drawled out slowly as she leaned down to him, "I'm sure we could work something out."

"I'm really stubborn." Orion warned her. "Could take you the rest of the day just to get my name out of me."

Katlin frowned with a disappointed look. "I already know your name."

"I thought we could try for second names." Orion suggested.

"Ohhhh," She cooed happily, "that sounds like it could be fun."

Katlin giggled slightly as Orion pulled her back down on the bed, sure they could finish business before breakfast arrived.

****

Q&A 

Arania: I am glad I contributed to making you happy, Arania, and by the time this story is half way done, I defy anyone to call this man gay.

You can think of a hundred things wrong with Orion's situation right now? Why not just go the easy route. Try to think of one thing RIGHT with it!

Oh, dear. Required reading is no fun.

So glad your working on being positive, Dear.

Nagini: What's up with 'The Weasel Must Die', Dear?

Now, I don't think I'm being mean. I gave you a three chapter preview. Something I swore I would never do. And you got most of the start of the story. You have an idea what it's about, and where it's going. Come on. Be nice to PAR. She's sick.

Sorry. Not first. Arania beat you to that.

I am so glad I am making people happy here.

Well, I'm afraid you're gonna have to hurt me. PAR is not getting better right off hand. And it appears the situation has deteriorated slightly as that the medicine they tried me on appears to not be working. Oh, well.

Russian is very cool, Dear. So is Japanese.

I will try to get better, Dear. Thank you.

Pyro: Ah! Another happy camper.

Family Relations is likely the second most intricate story I have ever tried to weave. The first is the one you are currently reading.

I don't try to be mean, Dear. But Family Relations was so far behind schedule, I felt the only way to make it up to you guys was to give you some previews. But after the last chapter, I would have been giving too much away if I went any further. And there was stuff coming up that would not have made any sense if you read it before this story.

Thank you, Dear. I am trying to feel better.

Sailor Sol: Well, Dear, you sort of covered all your basis with Enemies. It will pretty much go in either one of those two directions. The question is 'how far'? (You'll see what I mean later.)

Harry is definitely confused. Here he expected to be leaving the adoption agency that day happily adopted by his godparents. And instead he's being taken away from them for no given reason by a man he's only heard about.

Thank you. The new job is going very well. As for the getting better thing...., I'm trying.

Bexpotter: So glad you are enjoying the story, Dear. But the next chapter of Family Relations won't come up until this story is done. And I'm afraid that might be a while. Enemies is a bit long.

Yes, Of Western Stars is very good. I haven't been able to read that one in a while due to my somewhat busy schedule. I'll have to get back to it.

Silverfox: Oh, yes. PAR definitely likes her new job.

The majority of the tests are not bad. But there are a few I am not looking forward to.

About your comment on Charlie, Dear? You said it, not me. Just remember that.

I think Voldemort's cookie price involve something about signing a service contract of some sort.

I agree with you. I always thought summaries were to get people to read your story. Reviews to me are just sort of an extra bonus from kind, considerate, decent, moral, upstanding, thoughtful, understanding, selfless, caring, compassionate, concerned, loving, perceptive, appreciative, supportive readers.

Indeed, if nobody reads, you get darned few reviews.

Semmel: It seemed like years to PAR to, Dear.

I really am starting to feel like the proverbial Blue Bird of Happiness here. I'm making an awful lot of people happy. So glad that I saved your day from being completely awful, Dear.

Eva Phoenix Potter: Well, thankfully, the updates are not much of a strain right now because I have the majority of this story done. But thank you for your concern.

Future wife? Now if I answered that, where's the point in finishing the story. And you might just be surprised where this story goes.

The situation is definitely not to anyone's liking right now.

Hitting Orion will only get his attention, Dear. And trust me, you don't want to do that.

UnrepentatenReader: Repent! Repent! Repent!

Sorry. I'm just in that kind of a mood today.

Well, Dear, thank you. PAR likes her job very much, the tests aren't too bad, but as for getting better.....well....., that one's still up for grabs.

Let me tell you something! You want a challenge? Take a character like this and make him LIKABLE!!!!!! THAT, people, takes work.

But I am glad you like him. Orion does have his good points. His problem is he can't seem to ever get out of 'work mode'. And he is going to face some very hard times ahead because of that. But on the plus side, he's very dedicated to his job.

O.K., your next comment I really liked. I never looked at the story that way, but yeah, it spends a lot of time in that Pheromone cloud, Dear. And that is basically what you have going on here right now. It's when the cloud starts to clear and you see things in the light of day that you start to have trouble.

Actually, Orion and Katlin spend a remarkable amount of time talking.

The 'kneeing' comment is one of my favorites also. But Charly and Orion to me are just an endless source of sarcastic dialogue with each other. Think of it as trying to carry on a conversation with yourself. That's how well these two know each other. As I mentioned before about them, they make James and Sirius look like a casual acquaintance.

No need to blush, Dear. They are extremely attractive. It's part of what helps them in their work. Someone commented that Katlin uses her sex and her looks to her advantage. Well, quite frankly, so do Charly and Orion. You use what works for you.

Yes, yes, I know about the 'Males in Fanfiction' rule. Page 653, paragraph 9.

Good for you, Dear. No, Orion does not hate his brother. And he is not doing this for a lark. And Orion's reason for not talking to Sirius before taking Harry wasn't without reason either. 'Forewarned is forearmed', after all. And he didn't want Sirius to have time to think about things. More or less, it was an ambush.

You've got several chapters to go before you find out the real reason. And trust me, it's worth the wait.

Unfortunately, Harry is going to be far to busy to behave in a horrible way. He is, after all, going to be living with the top ranked Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries. Can you 'not a party'?

But he still manages to get into trouble. Not hard to do when your uncle makes the Headmistress at a girl's school look like a party-animal.

I love that quote!

You mean it's not spelled 'plz'? But I guess you really do need to buy a vowel for that word.

Skahducky: Am I going to explain why Sirius and Orion don't get along in Family Life's sequel? Oh, yes, Dear. In several varied and drawn out ways. And quite early in the story. The main one isn't going to win him any fans, either.

I'm glad you like the story, Dear. And I am trying to get better. Thank you.

I update as quickly as I can. Usually I try for at least once a week.

purple water: Orion is a man, Dear, in the presence of a very attractive woman. He's not exactly thinking with the big head.

Hypothesis'! Oh goody!

Man, these are hard to answer based on how complicated this story is.

First off, as you now know, no, they were not Deatheaters.

Next, it couldn't have been part of Katlin's devious plan, as that they were not her people.

Does she have a devious plan? That remains to be seem.

The real reason for the meeting? As stated. She wanted to know why he didn't kill her when he had the chance and why, in the end, he saved her life. All part of a plan? Maybe.

On Katlin's characterization? Yes, Katlin is the consummate Deatheater. She is loyal, dependable, and utterly ruthless. She cares about little else than the cause she is fighting for. Using her sex? You bet. Is Orion thinking slightly lower than his brain? Yup.

Oh, this definitely comes down to who can get what out of this. Believe me, everyone's checking their score card on that one.

No, the code name has little to do with anything. It's just an Unspeakable thing.

Katlin had never heard his code name before. At least not associated with him directly.

Why she didn't kill him? That darned pheromone cloud was disrupting her view.

Well, I hope she remains a convincing Deatheater here. That's quite a compliment coming from one of my tougher critics.

Actually, writing in real time is quite difficult. And not my favorite thing to do. But thank you for the compliment.

You're welcome for the new story/chapter, Dear.

nessie: I wondered if anyone else latched on to early in the chapter who the woman was. But congratulations on that, Dear. 

I know you all are tired of hearing it, but Orion had a GOOD reason to do what he did. Not just being mean.

Orion does have children, Dear. Five of them. Just not yet.

As always, sorry if I missed anyone. All reviews are as of 04062003.


	2. EnemiesChapter Two: TrustHow Many Letter...

****

A/N: Rant time, folks. If you're not into it, skip to the part that says, 'Chapter.....' and go from there.

For the rest of you, you get a little insight into the world of PAR.

Most of you know I live in Florida. Some of you know I live in Central Florida. And a few of you know I live in a little city called Winter Haven.

On Palm Sunday, as you may have heard, my little town lost a historical treasure. Cypress Gardens, the hub of Winter Haven, closed it's doors. A truly sad day for my little town. You see, I live across the lake from Cypress Gardens. Every day I could see people walking about the gardens, watch the ski shows from my dock, and every Christmas watch a million beautiful dancing lights illuminate the lake. 

It was pure magic. 

Every Easter Sunday the gardens opened their doors and gave a sunrise service. You've never seen such a sight.

There was no sunrise service this year. No crowds. No ski shows. No dancing lights in the darkness.

A part of my life growing up was gone. An important part.

This story could have a happy ending, since the state has come in and is trying to buy Cypress Gardens as a park for the city. While on the other side of the fence stand a pack of hungry wolves known as land developers who want to build million dollar houses on the property. We'll have to wait and see who wins this one.

And as always.....,

Enjoy. 

Chapter Two: Trust - How Many Letters In That Word?

The rest of his 'vacation' took a decided upswing after that night. Now Orion found himself forlornly counting the days until he would have to return to England. Even the time he spent freeze his ass off in the woods waiting for his contact each night for several hours didn't seem so bad anymore. He never really expected the person to show up, if they even existed at all. By the third night he had already fairly well convinced himself this was just Bale's little slice of revenge. But once he was done, and the appointed hour came and went, he now practically ran all the way back to the lodge, knowing that some new and wonderfully enticing experience would be waiting for him. His had left Katlin the key to his room the second night, after she had begged and pleaded for it, promising to do something special for him when he got back from wherever he was going. (Part of the rules were that she couldn't asked where he went every night.)

That night he had returned to a blissfully warm bath drawn up in the room's sunken tub, which was surrounded by candles. The room smelled pleasantly of lavender and Katlin was already lounging in the fragrant bubbles as she coaxed him to join her. He had checked for traps as he carefully made his way through the room leading to the bath, but hadn't detected a single one. But he checked the tub just for good measure. 

Katlin had frowned at his suspicions, but had let it go. 

Orion doubted he'd ever spent that much time in a tub in his life or used it in half the ways they came up with that night.

The second night he had come back from a particularly freezing night (it had snowed while he was waiting) to find a cheerful fire burning in the fireplace and a warm glass of brandy waiting for him. Not to mention an extremely warm and attractive woman handing it to him. The fur rug, he noted, was an especially nice touch. Katlin told him she had conjured it up because the room's regular carpet looked like it would have itched.

The third night had practically driven him right over the edge. He had come back to a completely dark room. Not a sound greeted him. As he reached for the light switch, a blindfold suddenly snapped over his eyes. As he went completely still, waiting to see what his attacker had in mind before forming his own plan of attack, a seductive voice suddenly whispered in his ear that it was going to have him screaming his second name before sunrise.

After that night, Orion had little doubt of Katlin's expertise in the area of subtle torture. If those were the methods she always employed, he had no doubt that the woman could have most men crying halfway through the night and less than thirty minutes later telling her how to get into their Gringotts vaults.

And so another night came and went as he sat in the woods amid the snow drifts, waiting for no one to show up. He checked his watch for about the hundredth time that night. How could only fifteen minutes have been all that had gone by?

Orion shook his head as he buried his hands back in his pockets and sat shivering on the same log he had been coming to for five straight nights before. 

One more night.

That was where his thoughts were tonight. One more night after this one, and he had to leave back to England. He had to leave Katlin and all of her wonderful surprises that always greeted him when he opened the door each of the past three nights.

He sighed quietly to himself as a frown etched itself across his face.

"Ohhhh, now that sounded unhappy." A soft, feminine voice came from behind him.

Orion spun around, his wand drawn. But he lowered it immediately as he saw who the voice belonged to.

Behind him Katlin stood dressed in her usual black Deatheater robes, with a large, white fur coat pulled over them.

Orion looked over her attire.

"Here on business?" He asked.

"It was the only long thing I had to wear." She replied, sitting on the log next to him.

"And the coat?"

"A present."

"From?"

Katlin turned to him for a moment. "Voldemort."

"Pretty expensive gift to give an employee."

"Deatheaters are not employees, Orion." She stated flatly.

"I got that impression the first night I saw you, when you ran into his arms."

Katlin gave him a stunned look. "When you saw.....surely you're not suggesting.....?"

"I'm not suggesting anything." Orion replied, turning back to scan the area. "We don't discuss business. Remember?"

"So I thought." Katlin answered in a less then bemused voice. "But just for your information, Mr. Black, if you can get your mind out of the gutter for a minute, I am not Voldemort's lover."

"That coat was just a gift to a friend?"

"More like to a daughter." Katlin replied curtly. "Which is exactly how he treats me."

"Very nice."

"He can be."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Orion turned back to her.

"So how did you manage to find this lovely, picturesque spot?"

Katlin snorted softly. "Honestly, Orion. Following you is like following a drunken bull raging through a field of corn. It's not that hard."

"I'd be more careful if I thought anyone else was crazy enough to want to be out here freezing."

"Would you rather I went back?"

"I would rather you told me what you're doing here."

Katlin smiled at him. "I came to keep you company."

"Katlin, this is suppose to be a covert meeting. Not a outdoor party."

"Again, would you rather I left?"

Orion sat for a moment, then turned a small smile to her an shook his head. "No. Truthfully, I don't think anyone's coming and I'm out here bored out of my mind."

Katlin got up and straddled his legs as she sat on them facing him. She wrapped her arms about his neck as she smiled down at him. 

"I think I can solve that." She said softly.

Orion slipped his hands under the coat and around her waist. The inside of the coat was as warm as under the covers of the bed they'd been sharing for the past few nights, when they actually made it to a bed. And the warmth slowly began to slip into every part of his body as he imagined the night ahead.

"So, how much longer do you have to wait?" Katlin asked.

"For what?" Orion mumbled as he buried his face under the folds of her coat, seeking out warmer areas.

Katlin giggled as he found one and began doing something wonderful with his lips and tongue through the material of her robe.

"For your contact." She answered.

"'Bout forty-five minutes." He mumbled back.

"Oh, good." She replied, scooting further up in his lap, giving his lips better access to where they wanted to go. "We should be done here by then."

Orion laughed softly, the warm caress of his breath against Katlin's skin sending shivers up her spine.

"Love, I don't know what you think I can do sitting out here in the cold."

"Ohhhhh," She purred back at him, pulling him closer, "I won't be the least bit surprised."

A sudden sound froze both of them in they're places. Abruptly Orion shoved Katlin off his lap and back onto the log.

"Stay there!" He ordered her in a whisper as he drew out his wand and hurried off to where the noise had come from.

But Katlin was already on her feet. "Not on your life." She stated, drawing her own wand and hurrying after him.

A good quarter of a mile away, Katlin caught up to Orion. He was standing in a small clearing, crouched over a shape on the ground. As she got closer she could see that the form was a body, blood staining the snow around where it lay.

"Who is it?" She asked, walking slowly over to him.

Orion got slowly stood up, picking up the large envelope laying next to the body.

"I'm assuming this was my contact." He answered shaking the now empty envelope. "Unfortunately he never made his delivery." 

Katlin was suddenly keenly aware of his eyes on her. She looked up to meet his stare.

"What?" But awareness suddenly dawned on her. "Oh, surely you don't think....?"

"I simply find it rather strange that tonight of all nights you show up out here." He stated with a deep frown. "The perfect distraction. And the next thing I know my contact is dead."

"It took me this long to trace you here. The last time the damn snow covered your tracks before I could follow you all the way. Tonight I at least knew half the way. The rest I had to go back to tracking you."

Orion stood staring at her.

"Orion, I had nothing to do with this." She answered his stare. "I was with you when we heard this, if you'd be kind enough to remember."

"I'm not saying 'you' did it." Orion replied in a low, careful voice. "Only that you were the distraction."

"I was nothing of the sort!"

"Really?"

"On my honor as a Deatheater. I knew nothing of this."

"That means a lot to me."

Katlin narrowed her eyes at him in annoyance. "I swore on that honor in the alleyway. I told you the people coming weren't mine. Was I lying then?" She asked sharply. "Whose people were betraying him, Orion? Who was lying then?"

Orion stood staring back at her, not moving.

Katlin's expression shifted from annoyance to one of questioning disbelief. 

"Orion?" 

"Leave." He said simply.

Katlin watched him for a moment, then turned on her heel and started off. "Fine." She said in a low voice.

Orion watched her until she disappeared into the trees, he then set about arranging the 'accident' for the authorities to find later.

Back in his hotel room, Orion wasted little time getting his things together and getting out. Whoever killed his contact was still out there somewhere. His best bet for safety was to get back to England as fast as possible. 

As soon as he was packed he activated the portkey and returned home.

Orion met that same night with Bale and the senior staff. He had been practicing his story since Katlin had left. By the time he repeated it to Bale and the others, he had it down perfect. There wasn't much to it that he actually had to remember. He had waited for the contact for five nights without the man showing up. On the sixth night he went to the meeting place, heard a noise, went to investigate, found the man dead.

The trick was delivering it to a group of men as well versed in reading body language as he was. But the advantage came in knowing what they were looking for and knowing how to disguise it as something else. A nervous twitch. A touch of a cold coming on. Too little sleep. 

Well, the last one wasn't that much of something he had to fake. Katlin had kept him up rather late the past few nights.

Katlin.

Orion found his thoughts drifting back to the Deatheater.

Deatheater.

He focused on that. She was what she was. There was no changing that.

She had proved that. She had infiltrated his mission, compromised it, and even managed to have a little fun along the way.

Orion muttered something under his breath as he thought of what a fool he had been played for.

"Black?" Bale's voice snapped him back to the present.

Orion looked up suddenly. "I'm sorry, sir." He replied softly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Not a lot of sleep lately."

"Well, we're done here for tonight." Bale told him. "Go home and get some sleep. We'll need to regroup tomorrow morning and sort this little fiasco of yours out."

Bale's tone told him how deep he was in it at that point. And quite frankly, he was surprised he could still see daylight.

He couldn't even blame Bale, or think of one derogatory thing to call him under his breathe as he left the Department and headed home.

He had gotten himself into this mess. All because some woman had managed to turn him about so badly he hardly knew which end was up. He had really made an idiot of himself this time. Something he swore he would never do again.

The next day at the office Orion found his new resolve already being tested way too early in the morning. 

As he sat at his desk filling out a mountain of reports Bale had dumped on his desk first thing as he walked in the door, a small barn owl flew in the room and headed straight for his desk. It flew over to him and perched itself on his outstretched arm. Orion untied the small brown paper wrapped parcel from the owl's leg.

As soon as it was free of it's burden, the owl took off again and was soon out of the room.

Orion watched the owl leave with a slight frown. They usually hung about for a few minutes looking for a treat. This one acted as though it couldn't wait to leave.

Shrugging, Orion unwrapped the package. 

It was Charly Misser's voice that snapped him back to the present this time.

"Oy! Orion! Come on. Meeting. Five minutes. You forget?"

Orion looked up from the brown packaging in his hand. "What?"

Charly looked over his shoulder.

Inside the brown wrapping lay a small diamond pendent hung off a silver chain.

"Someone sending you jewelry now, Black?" He asked with a small grin.

Orion stared at the pendent for a moment. "No." He said on a small voice, very much unlike his own. "Sending it back."

"Back? What? Didn't she like it?"

Orion shook his head slightly. "No. I guess she didn't."

"Crazy woman." Misser said as he drifted down the hall to the meeting room.

Orion didn't follow him. Instead he stood staring down at the small pendent. The minute he had opened the brown wrapping paper something inside of him froze. He wasn't sure what it was. 

So she had sent it back? What had he expected? To see her again? That they had some relationship?

They had had five nights of great sex. But what else had it been, really? 

She had betrayed him. She had acted her role while her cohorts had finished the job. Distract him. Play him for a fool. They had all probably laughed themselves silly all the way back to their lair at what an idiot he had been. 

He had even bought her a present.

"You're an idiot, Black." He told himself as he wrapped the small pendent back up and dropped it into his desk drawer. "Thinking with every part of your body but your brain."

The meeting turned out to be little more that Orion could tell than Bale's opportunity to let the whole Department know that Orion had failed the mission. And such a simple one at that. Bale couldn't stop mentioning that enough. All he had had to do was pick up a package and bring it back to the Department. And he had messed up. Well, it wasn't the first time, he console himself. And if he didn't get his head together, it wouldn't be the last.

Orion spent the rest of the day sitting behind the pile of paper work on his desk more or less staring off into space. Everything should, at this point, have been cut and dry. But something Katlin had said to him was leading him to his doubts about just how cut and dry things were. She hadn't lied to him in the alleyway. Not once. About anything.

And the time he had spent with her...never once did he sense anything out of place. There had been no traps waiting for him each night. Although there were a hundred places and ways she could have laid them. But all that greeted him each night was her soft smile and welcoming arms. She had genuinely seemed to be enjoying just being in his company. And he was trained to spot people lying as easy as others could tell you what color your shirt was. But nothing she had said or done had felt like a lie. Not even standing over the body in the snow, swearing she had had nothing to do with the man's murder.

Orion opened his desk drawer and drew out the small package. He opened it up again and took out the small pendent, hanging it from his fingers as he looked at it.

"Boy, this one must have been something."

Orion looked up to see Misser standing in his doorway watching him.

"Hmmm?"

"Whoever didn't like her present. She's really got you past distracted, Orion, my boy. So," Misser asked, coming in and sitting in the chair by Orion's desk, "what's the story with her?"

Orion shook his head as he dropped the pendent back in the desk drawer. "Sorry." He stated. "No story to tell, Charly. Just didn't work out."

"You know what'll drive you crazy about working here, Black?" Charly asked.

Orion looked up at him. "Trying to figure out how Bale got to be boss?"

"Naw." Charly stated, waving the suggestion off. "He was sleeping with someone. No, Orion, my boy, what'll drive you nuts is that if you don't keep your wits about you, you forget you're working in an office of bloody mind-readers, or body- readers, in our case."

"Meaning?"

"We all read body language like a book, Orion. Let me give you some advice."

Orion looked up at him.

"If she was that special, what's the harm in giving her another chance?"

Orion watched Charly get up and leave.

"More than you know, Charly." He said softly. "More than you know."

Orion tried to dismiss Charly's suggestion as coming from a man who simply didn't know all the facts. But his mind would quickly slip from that thought back to one's that had him questioning other things.

When he had met Katlin in the alleyway, she had had no know idea he was going on that mission. Even he hadn't known it. It had been a random assignment. 

She had also shown up too quickly in the small ski town. Even the Deatheaters couldn't have put something like that together that quickly. 

In the woods, she had been as surprised by the noise as he was. He had had his arms wrapped about her body. He could feel her muscles tense as she prepared herself for a possible attack, just as his body had reacted to the sound. 

And she had insisted on coming with him rather than staying where she was. That most of all perplexed him. 

And then there was the look on her face when she had found him standing over the body. It had been pure shock. Whatever she had expected to find, a body hadn't been it.

Orion sighed to himself as he sat staring at the wall before him. No matter how he tried to sort things out, there were simply to many variables to work with. Too many unanswered questions.

And only one place to get them.

****

Q&A

As I merrily ponder my way through answers, I came across something I felt needed to be said, just to avoid confusion. Katlin appeared, as you might recall, in The Bonds That Tie. That story, folks, was AU. It has no connection to any of this. This story is revolving mostly around Canon. It follows most of what Rowling laid out. There are some minor exceptions to that, and having had to look at my time line and then my story again, I may have to make some alterations.

In reading this, you can safely assume that nothing in The Bonds That Tie ever happened. Separate story and all that.

Thank you.

Sailor Sol: Thank you, Dear. I'm very pleased you like this one. OC stories are so hard to gage sometimes.

Silverfox: If you were asking why was the price of that piece of jewelry so high, all I can say is go shopping in a small Austria ski town for jewelry. It ain't WalMart, folks.

Actually, Snape isn't in this story if I have my facts right. Working on so many stories simultaneously does tend to scramble one's brain a bit.

UnrepentantReader: Don't ever change, Un. 

Actually, PAR is known to have a somewhat smart mouth from time to time. And my most outstanding characteristic is that I am horribly sarcastic. Most of my friends know me for this and disregard it. To those who are meeting me for the first time, I may actually seem crass. But it's just the way I am. Couple that with a very dry sense of humor and it can tend to confuse people the first go round. But off hand, I would say that yes, a lot of Charly and Orion are based on my personality.

O.K., now, in defense of my female lead, I would like to firmly point out, she is NOT a slut. She just doesn't believe in wasting a lot of time with things. Like getting to know someone first. That sort of stuff. And might I add I don't see anyone criticizing Orion. Such a double standard we women have to live with.

Was the cake recipe any good? Who knows? They probably just whipped up the batter, smeared it all over.......oh, never mind.

As Katlin points out quite clearly in a later chapter, Deatheaters are not YKH's employees, and are therefore not paid, unlike Ministry workers. That's part of what makes them so dangerous.

Oh yes, Katlin has very good taste. Especially in men.

My Dear, Charly has a LOT to say about all this. But first he has to find out about it. That is likely, by the way, my favorite chapter. It is TOO cute. But, yes, there is a very interesting twist to it. And that you actually find out before the chapter is posted.

Kinky? It's PG13, Dear. I have to draw the line somewhere. As I said in the beginning, I leave a lot to the imagination. But suffice to say 'normal' doesn't really play for Orion and Katlin.

Werepup: Ohhhhhh, thank you, Dear! Such a nice review!

Orion is actually a character who came into 'being' in Family Life. He's been in development ever since. Trust me, you don't just wake up one morning and decide to create an OC. Not if you want them to be remotely respectable. Orion was created out of a lot of sleepless nights laying in bed, thinking and planning this character. And believe me, you haven't seen the half of him yet.

Don't berate your abilities, Dear. Your review is very concise and well written. I would bet you would do well writing short stories. A truly rare gift.

And sorry, no more Family Relations for now.

Arania: Would it help if I said I will justify later how fast they ended up in bed together?

Oh yes, Dear. Most definitely NOT gay here.

Eva Phoenix Potter:

Thank you. That's it, just 'thank you'. (And such a cute review it was too.)

Nagini: Dear, I must take objection to your killing off my main character. Was that very nice?

Anyway, who's Kris?

Oh, come on now, Ron is good comic relief.

Sorry, Dear, still not first.

Yes, Dear. It is one of my favorite words.

Sorry, no Draco. I am, however, currently formulating a plan to stea.........BORROW Whisp's Sirius plushi.

Yes, Dear, just a tad hyper. But there's nothing wrong with that.

Well, Dear, I'll consider the buddy thing if you refrain from killing my characters randomly.

lilahp: Awwwwww! Thank you, Dear, for liking the title! And such a nice comment on my plotlines as well! Original? Well, I do try. Thank you.

Oh, dear! Gold star for you! (*) Such good questions! (Both reviews.) Unfortunately, I can't answer many of them, but the good news is they are addressed in the story. Especially how does Charly feel (or how is he treated) when Orion isn't around. Yes, it is very hard for him, I will say that much. He is a muggle trying to keep pace with a bunch of magic yielding wizards. However, Charly is also the partner and personal friend of a wizard no one in their right mind wants to cross. Orion Black. But as I said, there's an upcoming chapter which goes into this in depth, so I don't want to spoil it for you. But I am very glad you like the character. He is very interesting and will get even more so as this story progresses.

Next part. First of all, a lot of people jumped on the 'Katlin is Orion's contact' bandwagon for some reason. No, folks. Sorry. Katlin has her own agenda for being there. And yes, it does come up later in the story.

As for how can they be together, being who they are and knowing what they do? Go read the title of the story again, Dear. That's a large part of what it is about.

Dedicated to the causes? Katlin has (as you'll find out later) dedicated her life to Voldemort's cause. She is very likely his most trusted follower. As for Orion? Well, that's an interesting question. I won't say he's not just as dedicated, but he does view his job differently from Katlin. As mentioned in the opening chapter, to him, it's fun, sort of. But in the end I think you'll find for Orion and Katlin it's not so much a question of loyalties as priorities.

As for falling into bed together so quickly, *Cough, cough, cough. Darned pheromone cloud! Cough, cough, cough.* ummmm......*Cough.*, what was the question again, Dear?

Unfortunately, whenever Orion and Katlin get together at this point *Cough*, they pretty much have their activities (activity?) planned. But on skies? Hmmmm, that could be interesting.

Thank you for liking the 'sexy' parts. PAR is no romance writer and she darned sure can't write sex that well. The compliment is appreciated. Actually, there's a great little story I like to tell people about me and sex scenes. Back way before most of you were born, there was a graphic novel (comic book) that was put out by a friend of mine, Richard Pini and his wife, Wendy, (truly a fantastic team), called Elfquest. This was a wonderful on-going series that had two major characters in it (Male and female) who came from 'opposite sides of the tracks', so you just knew they had to wind up together. Well, readers waited with great anticipation for the all for certain 'sex scene' between these two characters. The scene opened with them meeting in the village, then, with blanket in hand, heading up a rock cliff overlooking the village, sneaking off behind some rocks, and....then we were treated to a beautifully drawn sunrise.

Yup! That was it. As one reader wrote in, after months of waiting and anticipating, 'what did we get? Rocks!'

Well, folks, what can I say? Mostly, you're going to get rocks.

Peaceful times are few and far between in this story indeed.

As for your comments on Family Relations, of course Harry will be getting into trouble. He's a teenager.

What do my characters look like? If Kristen over at Chamberofthekeys.com wasn't so busy now that she's been accepted in Ringling Art School, I would commission her to draw them for me, because I could really nail them for her to the last detail. I generally work from real life. Pictures of people I've seen or someone I know. For Orion, keep in mind that Harry has seen pictures of him before while they were staying at the Black Estate. He, in fact, mistook several pictures of Orion for Sirius. So you can assume safely they bare a striking resemblance to each other. But Orion is about five years older than Sirius, and if you look closely, you will note the difference in that. He's also a bit taller than his younger brother and a bit broader in build. (That was a little something for PAR.....*sigh*.)

Why does everyone immediately assume that Orion and Katlin will end up married?

You'd love to see Sirius fight? What, exactly, Dear?

Well, as that Book V will be out before we get to anything about Sirius and Orion growing up together, and Mrs. Rowling has hinted she will be covering a lot of James and Sirius' past in that, I won't presume to try filling in the blanks in that area for right now. I'll wait to see what she has to say.

What are Katlin's motives? Well, you'll have to wait to see on that one. Does come out later why she just happened to be in the same little ski town as Orion at that particular time.

Thank you for the link, Dear. I will look into the story now that I have a way to get to it.

So sorry you've been through illness, Dear. It's no fun. And PAR would not wish what she has on anyone.

And I appreciate your reading my stories, and as ever, your wonderful reviews. Thank you.

purple water: Oh, Dear, there is a VERY good reason why Mr. Black has no children. Good heavens! You nearly hit a bulls-eye with that one!

Now that I've confused you...., moving right along...., Dear, Orion is an Unspeakable. Among the magic community, he is among the most dedicated to his work. Sleeping with someone to get something does make the list of 'Means I would employee to justify my ends' for our boy, Orion. 

This story is unbelievably complicated. I suspect you will absolutely go nuts with joy for all the continuity errors you are likely to find that I missed. It was just that hard to write and keep everything straight.

Just because Katlin doesn't have a devious plan I don't think fails her as a Deatheater. She is actually a very good Deatheater. She's just having a little trouble right now seeing through that pheromone cloud. Much as is Orion.

'Since she's not talking, I don't see what Orion is getting out of this, other than sex.' BINGO!!!!

Don't tell you all men want is sex? What's Katlin's motivation, Dear? Could it be...ummmm....sex?

Nope. Not just two people looking for a way not to get killed when confronted with the other. More like two people seeing how much sex you can get out of five days in a snow lodge.

Oh, that next part is hard to answer because it's the basis of the whole story more or less. So understand I can't really get into it too deep. But as I pointed out to lilahp, this is not a question of loyalties, it's a question of priorities. As for the rest of this, all I can say for now is Katlin is not your average Deatheater. She is a member of the Elite of Voldemort's followers. They are a slightly different group and their beliefs as well as their actions and goals are a little different from their fellow Deatheaters. Elite's actually think.

I apologize for the chaptering issue and I am working on correcting it. I don't know if I'm the sole member of this fan club, but I find the new submission sequence Fanfiction.net has put up very confusing and nearly impossible to properly navigate. I am working on getting this all under one heading.

Semmel: Dear, just out of curiosity, why the name?

PAR understands computers acting up. Making them stop doing that is part of what I do for a living.

Ah! Another rider on the 'Katlin is the informant Orion is suppose to meet' bandwagon. Sorry, Dear. No. I derailed that train already in my answer to lilahp. This was a purely accidental meeting. Katlin is there for her own reasons, which are brought up later in the story.

I'm still debating the rating. But as I said, with all due respect to Mrs. Rowling, I toned this way down.

I'm glad you liked the Great Guru of Story Ratings. True. All true.

Fantome: Actually, the suggestion to turn this into an original work of fiction has been suggested to me by a friend who heard the synopsis of the story and feels I'm somewhat crazy for posting it for free. But I haven't completely throw the idea away.

What does Katlin want? whatever she can get.

What makes you think either one of them are going to switch sides?

Oh, work isn't all that, Dear. Sure, there's the money, and the benefits, and the money, and the thing to do five days a week, and the money, and the.....oh. O.K., I guess it is all that! But have faith, Dear. It took PAR over nineteen months to land this job.

Actually, no, 'Deatheater' is not a family tradition for Katlin. Her past does come up later in probably what has to be the most informative chapter I've ever written to date.

And as a point, Katlin is not a Deatheater. She is an Elite. There is a difference.

I'm very glad you liked Diamond, Dear. That one was just for fun.

Family Life will, as you know, be continuing, and 'no', the characters will not be getting much of a break.

I'm very glad you liked Arabella and Analisa. Especially since they will both be back int he sequels.

The birthday party was added for pure fun.

Thank you, Dear, for saying PAR is not old, even if she is.

Glad you liked the twist on truth serums, although I had to fight a bit on that one with a few reviewers.

I can almost never write a story that Snape isn't in. He's such a great character to write about.

Trennerson was just your typical bad guy.

Harry's language acquisition skills are a running joke and will likely play out in other stories as well.

skahducky: Oh dear. You thought this was disgusting? And I thought I tamed it down so well. Just fair warning then, this story does have its moments.

Nicky: Ohhhhhhhhh! Nice long review. Makes PAR very happy!

PAR likes Austria. Nice mountains.

Gotta be a female. Go read purple water's review. I can not find two review so totally 360 degrees of each other.

And in Orion's defense, Katlin hesitated too. I guess neither one of them could see through that pheromone cloud. *Cough, cough, cough.*

Actually, as for hesitation costing Orion anything, I think you'll find he has the most to pay when he doesn't stop and think first before he acts.

As for Family Relations, yup, good reason.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I like that idea! Arabella's magic being off because she's pregnant. I like that sooooooooooooo much. But, no. She's just overly distracted by something going on off stage that readers aren't aware of yet. But man, I wish I had thought of that! Drat!

How can Orion have five children and be childless in Family Relations? Easy. The author messed up big time. So I have to do some revising. Not the first time. Won't be the last. But actually, the story of how our boy Orion came to have five children is in another story titled appropriately enough In the Family Way, which comes up much later. In Enemies, he has no children as yet. If I eluded to or said outright that how Orion came to have five children is in Family Ties, the third part of the Family story arc, I apologize. Family Ties deals with why Sirius is not in Family Relations much more than you have seen him.

Now allow me to REALLY confuse you good. Does Orion have five children in Family Relations? Yes.

Will you see them? No.

Is there a reason for that? Yes. Author oversight like you have rarely seen before and that's all I'm saying. (But I will post it as a general disclaimer next chapter.)

Proper Friends, my Lupin/Snape (Non-slash) story, is without doubt one of my best put together stories so far. I look forward to posting it.

Oh yes, please! Let us see a little emotion out of this kid! This kid never cries, gets upset, frets, or gets anything past slightly excited. Yes, I would love to see Harry and Sirius locked in a room together for three days and forced to really get to know each other. So far that relationship is about as superficial as it can get. So there is really nowhere for it to go but up. And there is bound to have to be some romance. After all, the kid is a teenager. He's apt to have noticed by now that girls are not simply the ones who wear the different cloths. They're soft, they smell good, and they're pretty.

Thank you for the well wishes, Dear. My doctor seems a lot less concerned now than when we started the tests.

As to your other review, which was posted after I did Q&A last time, it is something of a play on names that Orin and Orion have similar names. Personally, I just thought it was cute to make their names so similar when all they're ever doing is butting heads.

Is Katlin Orion's wife? Now how can I answer that!? That's the point of the whole story! 

nessie: Yes, Dear. He's a few years away from fatherhood right now.

Your computer problem sounds quite serious. I hope it is better now.

The new job is going very well. Everyone seems to like PAR. And so far whatever I have does not appear to be life threatening.

Zimmy Russell: Hey, Zim.

Now you got me thinking about the donkey.

If you were in Orion's place, would YOU go skiing?

Of course it's fishy. Deatheaters and Aurors? How can it be anything but?

So glad you like Orion. He is indeed a very cool character.

Night, Zim.

FairyTale: Oh look! Another person making PAR happy. Nice long review.

Indeed, this has much more insight than Partners. But keep in mind that Partners was more or less just for 'it's too cold to go out and play so I think I'll sit inside and write a story' fun.

And again, don't hate Orion because of his actions in Family Relations. He's got a good reason. (Man, am I gettin' tired of saying that.)

Mean am I not. Previews readers give as act of kindness is. Interest it keeps. Little green troll I see.

Katlin was in The Bonds That Tie. (Kick me if I'm wrong. I wrote it, after all.)

O.K., to straight things out, yes, Katlin is a character I wanted to see as a regular. Hence this story.

While this is the same Katlin character we all knew and hated in The Bonds That Tie, as far as this story is concerned, that story never happened. Hence, Katlin has never met Sirius.

Sirius is not at this point in Azkaban. So no escape yet. Comes later.

So, same character? Yes. Completely different, non-connected stories? Yes. Making any money off of this? No. (That was for the lawyers, and ribbing a friend of mine who, having gotten the synopsis for this story, highly suggested I alter it, originate it, and sell it. Still a thought, by the way.)

Ah! I knew I remembered someone wanting a time line. That was you. Enemies is a little hard to place time-wise. I would place it about a year or so before Voldemort's fall. But things could change because having said that, I have to look over some things that may not fit anymore.

MOSTLY, the children issue. Oh man, now this IS going to get complicated. But, to make you happy, FairyTale, I will say that your one question caused a major shift in my story line. Congratulations. Not many people accomplish that in their lifetime. If I hadn't already given out the gold star, you would most definitely have gotten it.

Currently, here is where it stands after I sat and stared at my computer screen for a good long time while trying to sort this all out. Orion has five children in Family Relations. But you will not see them as yet. They are staying with Mum, since Dad is.......well, sort of on a mission. I don't think it gives too much away by saying that. (Other than this very confused answer, go see Nick's very confused answer.)

Is Katlin Orion's wife? Now if I answer that a whole lot of people are going to go 'Aww, ****.' and go read something else. And you might be surprised by the answer to that question.

So glad you are now happy, Dear.

Sweets: Oh dear. We crossed wires somewhere. No, Dear. Enemies is no continuation of Family Life. Now, those little previews at the end of the chapters? Yes, but they are just previews. And there aren't going to be anymore until the actual story posts. Sorry. But yes, Family Relations IS the continuation of Family Life. As in 'sequel'.

What Harry is is very confused. He's not thinking about screaming or anything else. Just trying to figure out what is going on. He just watched his Godfather nearly murder his own brother on the spot, and was then dragged off by the man without either Godparent so much as raising a finger to stop him. Plus, it was hardly even a remote similarity to how he pictured the day was going to end. Even for a fifteen year old, that's a lot to handle.

Actually I like to think of doctors as a man standing around with a Magic 8 Ball in his white coat pocket and an eight year degree in guess work in his other. And sitting in front of him on a stool is a little white lab rat, currently known as yours truly.

I missed you TWICE? Oh, PAR is so sorry, Dear. Bad PAR. Bad, bad, bad.

How did I find a job? A year of looking, Dear. I went to the state website at myflorida.com a LOT. That's how PAR came to work for the state. You can also try your local county commissioners website and city government. Government agencies seem always to be hiring for something.

Orion is a very hard character to decide if you love or hate at this point. Due to the previews and this story running together, you are getting two very different looks at the character. But mostly, Sirius summed him up best. He's a less tense version of Snape. He's almost never not looking at the world as an Auror.

TreeHugger: Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! I LIKE the name. PAR is a tree hugger from way back!

Oh dear! Another 'died waiting for you to update'. Please stop doing this to me, people. I'm getting a complex. But I did update. And I will make amends with two chapters this week. Are we better now?

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FAMILY LIFE

Penelope: You're only on Chapter seven, Dear. There's about 42 'Mores' to go.

stayblue: Yes, Family Life is continued. It's sequel, Family Relations, has been previewed at the end of several of my other story chapters and the whole story will be out....well, one day. I have a few that have to come out first.

So glad you liked the story.

AABattery: Yes, there was a great deal of discussion throughout the reviews about Harry's emotional age.

What's 'rn', Dear?

Elbereth94: Yes, Dear. Family Life is being sequeled in Family Relations, previews of which are available at the end of various chapters and other stories of mine. Three previews, to be exact.

Ohhhhhhhh! I made a realistic Sirus!? Thank you!

Analisa and Snape make a good pair. They are both spies, both potions masters. But Analisa has a small secret Snape hasn't come across yet that will surely test their relationship. Especially from his end.

Well, Harry doesn't quite have his family yet, as seen in the previews to Family Relations.

So glad you liked Arabella. She is my second favorite female OC.

You might have to hurt me? Can I count that as a flame? You would be my third.

Thank you, Dear. A very nice review.

anywho: Dear, my stories, excluding the ones under 'humor', almost always have some degree of anguish in them. And if you do not like tear-jerkers, please avoid The Bonds That Tie at all costs. It came with a clearly spelled out tissue warning.

Tori Cody: Yes, Family Life is sequeled in Family Relations. The previews to which may be seen at the end of various chapter and story endings among my other postings. I do hope to have this story out this year.

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The Bonds That Tie

Angel of Faith: Listen, no offense, Dear, but you 'laughed' all the way through this story? This had to be my most depressing story to date! I worked extra hard on uping Klennex's stock. This story came with a TISSUE warning, for heaven's sake! Unless you were commenting just on chapter 16, which was just too cute for words.

Reviews are as of 05102003. If I missed you, I apologize. It is not intentional. 


	3. Enemies Chapter Three: Kiss First Ques...

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A/N: I would like for all you readers out there to know that you have lilahp to thank for two chapters in a weekend. Her answer so titillated me, I had to know what she was talking about. And since the only way I can talk to you guys is if I post a chapter........so, you get an extra.

Also, lots of information in lilahp's answer. You might want to scan over it.

And to avoid confusion, I need to point out that the chapters have gotten a bit messed up. I attempted to upload and have no idea how things came out the way they did. If someone out there understands the uploading procedure for linking chapters, could you write them out in step by step instructions and leave them for PAR. She is really having a time with the new system.

Next. 

GENERALIZED DISCLAIMER:

Due to circumstances beyond my control...........oh, heck. Folks, lets just face it. I messed up big time here. Now it's time to set things right. I'm sorry for the confusion this will cause.

I have said for some time now that in Family Relations and Family Ties that Orion has no children. That his five kids came into the story later. The fact of the matter is, due to Fairytale asking for a time line on Enemies, I was forced to re-evaluate a few things. Mostly, the state of Orion's family as well as its arrival. So, that said, you can safely assume that until kids are directly mentioned, he has none.

Now, leave me alone.

And as always...., 

Enjoy.

****

Chapter Three: Kiss First (Question Later)

Orion stood at the window to his study. On his arm sat perched a large owl that was such a dark brown as to appear black in color. The bird paced nervously up and down Orion's arm, waiting for the wizard to tell him what to do.

Orion seemed to ignore the bird's impatience and simply stood staring out the large bay window. The sun was just setting and purple and orange lines streaked across the evening sky. With a quiet sigh Orion lowered his head and finally stretched his arm out and gave the bird a slight lift-off as it took to the air. It soared off into the fading twilight, it's owner watching it until the bird was little more than a tiny, barely discernable dot on the horizon.

Orion closed the window with such force that it shook the glass in the frame. He was going to have his answers. Even if he had to tie her down and torture them out of her.

No. She'd probably just enjoy that.

Orion felt a small smile play across his lips as the thought played around in his memories. How far exactly would he have to go before it stopped being pleasure and became pain?

He quickly shook off the thought. No. It had always been for pleasure between them. She had never wanted to actually hurt him. And she was almost fanatical about making sure that each sound was only brought from pleasure. Never pain.

He felt a shudder run through several parts of his body as he remembered the last night he had spent with her. He had held out to sun-up. Never telling her what she wanted to know. It was a silly game really. But it was the focal point for better things. All he had to do was tell her his second name and she would stop. That was what had had him holding out to sunrise. But then, abruptly, and with a good deal of disappointment, she had given up, stating she wouldn't go any further because from then on it would only bring him pain.

Before she had left that morning he had pulled her close, wrapping her gently in his arms as he laid his lips against her ear and softly whispered the name to her.

The smile she gave him he swore was one he would never forget. He watched as she gently lift the small diamond pendent to her lips and gave it a tender kiss.

"When I kiss it, I think only of you." She had whispered softly to him.

And yet she had sent the pendent back to him. With no note. No explanation.

But the message was vividly clear.

She was done with him.

Orion walked back over to his desk and sat down. Looking up, the small diamond winked at him in the firelight as it hung from the corner of the desk's hutch where he had placed it. He wasn't sure exactly what to do with it. For some reason just having it close by brought some sort of...........he couldn't put a word to the feeling. Just somehow the whole situation didn't feel as cold when he looked at the little diamond sparkling happily in it's setting.

Orion shook his head and got up from the desk. He was still thinking like a idiot, he admonished himself. He had sent her a request.......no, a demand for a meeting. The two of them. Alone. He was going to get his answers one way or another.

The only thing that still bothered him was why he needed them.

Orion stood in the alleyway where he had left Katlin after he'd first kissed her. In his pocket his fingers played absently with the small pendent. He wasn't sure why he had brought it along. He had told his brain, searching for an answer, that it was a good luck charm for him. But for what, he wasn't so sure.

A small pop further down the alleyway caught his attention. Orion pulled up from where he had been leaning against the brick wall, his other hand fingering his wand in the opposite pocket from the locket.

A lone figure made its way up the alley, soft footsteps echoing in the still night air as the feet padded along the pavement towards him. Slowly the outlines of a robed, hooded figure came into view. Orion held his ground as the figure approached to within a few feet of him before stopping and pulling back its hood.

A small sigh of relief escaped him as he smiled slightly at the sight of the woman who was still playing havoc with his mind during his work day.

"Hello, Katlin." He said in a quiet voice.

"You asked for this meeting." She said in an all too formal voice. "I would suggest you start talking."

But Orion's eyes had already shifted off of her. A movement behind her had caught his attention.

Katlin seemed to read his unease.

"You came here alone?" She asked.

Orion's gaze skirted through the alleyway behind her. "Yes." He heard himself saying. Answer the question. Anything to give himself some time to sort things out.

"How fortunate." She replied.

Orion heard the noise behind him and turned abruptly to find four Deatheaters standing behind him. When he turned back to Katlin four more had joined her.

"Because I didn't." She said in a deadly whisper.

Orion unlaced his fingers from the pendent and subsequently tightened them on his wand.

"Now how is it going to be, Black?" Katlin asked quietly with a small smile. "Soft or hard? I'm up for either this evening."

"I seem to recall hearing that somewhere before." He answered her in the same quiet tone.

Katlin's face hardened as she quickly stepped back. Orion knew how the Deatheaters fought. Groups were their specialty with odds that they liked. And eight against one was certainly among their favorites.

"Eight to one." Orion mused out loud as he started to put his back to the wall. "Hardly seems fair. But I'll tell you what." He said with a smile. "I'll wait here while you boys go see if you can find some more."

'That's right.' Orion told himself as the Deatheaters rushed at him. 'Goad them on.'

Despite the numbers, Orion congratulated himself that he still managed to take out five of the Deatheaters before they managed to hit him with a spell to subdue him. He desperately tried to fight off the spell as they dragged him past Katlin, who watched with emotionless eyes as the Deatheaters disapparated with Orion between them. 

Several more Deatheaters arrived on the scene to help those the Auror had hit with various curses and hexes apparate back to the lair. It was the only kindness they would be shown. Especially when they would be forced to stand before Voldemort and explain how one Ministry Auror had been able to stop five Deatheaters before being captured.

Checking those that had been injured in the fight, Katlin saw each of her fellow Deatheaters safely disapparate before she left herself. 

She turned to look about the alleyway one more time to make sure nothing incriminating had been left behind, but stopped short as something winked at her from the pavement. Walking over to the small glint of light, she bent down and picked the small diamond pendent up off the pavement that had fallen from Orion's pocket during the fight. Standing back up, she stared at it as it glittered in her hand, reflecting the moonlight.

Katlin turned the little pendent about on its chain. But finally she shook her head as she took one last look at it before stuffing it into a pocket of her robes. The Auror wasn't the only one who needed questions answered, she thought as she turned down the alleyway, disapparating home out of the cold, dark night.

Orion sat silently on the floor of a small cell in one of the back chambers of the Deatheaters lair. He was sure from how long he had been dragged through the tunnels that the room was situated fairly deep in the lair. Even if he did manage to get free of the cell, he had severe doubts about being able to find his way out again with any great speed. Four hours. Maybe five. Oh well. Something to think about. 

Mentally he was committing to memory the route he had been dragged trough to get to the small cell. It would simply be a matter of retracing his steps with the added distraction of having to avoid the Deatheaters to get out again.

Orion sighed quietly. Tedious at best.

A voice broke into his mental mapping. One he knew all too well speaking a complex silencing charm.

"Privacy?" He asked the darkness before him. "I didn't think you cared much for that anymore."

"I do when it suits me." The darkness answered.

Orion shut the voice out as he closed his eyes and went back to his work.

"Do you think it will be that easy?" 

Orion opened his eyes and looked up from where he sat on the floor to see Katlin standing before the cell. He quickly noted she stayed just out of reach.

"Do you?" She asked again.

"What?" He replied.

"You're trying to remember how you got here." She stated, gesturing to the room. "We aren't stupid, Black. We know the Auror's tricks. And that one's old."

"Then we'll have to come up with some new ones. We wouldn't want this to become boring for you, after all."

"Merlin's Beard. Please do."

"What do you want?" Orion asked curtly.

"First of all, for you to forget what you're doing."

"Why?"

"Lord Voldemort changes the corridor paths when an Auror is brought here. It would take you days to even four-point your way out of here."

Orion silently cursed a lot of wasted time and effort.

"What else?" He asked in a flat, but heated voice.

Katlin took a step closer to the bars of the cell as she slipped the small pendent out of her robe pocket and held it up before him.

"Why did you bring this?"

Orion remained silent as he stared at the small pendent. He had noticed it missing as soon as he had appeared at the Deatheaters lair. They had search him for his wand and whatever else he was carrying. But when they finished and they hadn't found the pendent, that had been the start of his fear it had been lost in the fight. And when they had placed him in the cell and allowed him freedom of movement again, it was the first thing he had gone looking for, dismally discovering it was indeed gone from his pocket. He never thought he'd be so happy to see the tiny diamond swinging from its silver chain again.

"Well?" Katlin asked pointedly as she continued to hold it up.

"Why did you give it back?" Orion asked flatly.

"Answer my question."

"I arranged that meeting to ask mine. I think I should get priority here." Orion stated firmly.

"You are in no position to demand anything, Black." Katlin replied in an equally firm tone.

Orion sighed as he stared at her. "All right." He conceded finally. "Ladies first then. I thought you might want it back."

"Why would I want this thing back?"

"No reason at all apparently." Orion replied. "I simply had had a stupid idea you might if we had a chance to talk."

"Talk?" Katlin looked genuinely confused by the concept. "What in the name of the dark arts would I want to talk to an Auror about?"

Orion gestured to the pendent she still held up in her hand, his voice lower and softer than it had been. "Whatever he did that hurt you enough to give that back."

Katlin slowly lowered her arm as she stared back at him. She turned and looked about the room, then back to Orion. "The charm is still up. So talk." She stated, but in a slightly less hostile sounding tone now.

Orion looked about his small cell, then back to her. "Some how," he replied, "I'm just not as inclined right now."

"You'd do well to get inclined, Mr. Black." Katlin replied. "Because currently, you're number one on Voldemort's list of 'Things To Torture Today'."

"And explaining to you what I had that pendent for is going to change that?"

"Have you got something better to do?"

Orion sighed quietly. Well, if nothing else, he wasn't going to die wondering.

"I remember how you looked at that pendent in the window of the jewelry store." He said, trying desperately to keep his voice as emotionless as possible. "You stood there in the cold just staring at it. I'd never seen anyone want something so badly with just their eyes. So," he added with a quiet sigh, "I could only imagine something that hurt you a great deal must have made you give it up." He turned his stare slowly to her. "Something I did."

Katlin stared silently down at him. He could feel the fury mounting in her by the second.

"So," he asked tentatively, telling himself it was only curiosity that drove him on, "was it?"

"Yes!" The answer was short and sharp.

"And?"

Katlin looked as though he had just handed her the worst insult imaginable. For a second Orion thought she was going to leave. Or better, storm off.

"You have no idea!?" She hissed at him between the bars, taking a step closer to them.

Orion looked dumbfounded.

"Men!" Katlin snapped. "You're idiots! Every one of you!"

"Well, this one could use a little help." Orion replied. He looked about the cell again and sighed once more. "In more ways than one."

"I'll give you your 'help', Mr. Black." She hissed at him between the bars. "You called me a 'liar'."

"What?"

"You didn't believe me when I told you I had nothing to do with that man's murder. Had I lied to you once up to then? Had I hurt you? Attacked you? Done anything to earn that from you? 

I thought we had come to some sort of understanding, Orion. A mutually beneficial understanding. All I was there for that night...........was you. But you just couldn't get past it, could you? I was a Deatheater. A 'bad' witch. So, naturally, when something goes wrong anywhere near me, I have to be at the bottom of it, don't I? There was no possible way I was only out there to meet you. 

And all those nights before? What were those to you then? Just laying the groundwork? Getting your interest? There was no way that there was one honest action there as far as you're concerned, was there? Just all tricks and traps. Just like a Deatheater." She added, punctuating each word of the last sentence.

"What was I suppose to think, Katlin?"

"I thought you would have given me enough....consideration....to have at least allowed for the benefit of the doubt. But you didn't even hesitate!" Katlin nearly spit the word at him. "A nice convenient target, the little Deatheater, hey?"

Orion stared up at her for a few seconds. There was so much more in her voice than anger. There was pain. He had genuinely hurt her without once thinking of the possibility.

"I thought you trusted me, Orion." She added with pure venom. "I thought I had earned that much from you."

"In three days?"

"For people like us, Orion, that should be all it takes. Sometimes that's all you have. Which it was for us. You're an Auror, for magic's sake! You're suppose to know when people are lying. It's suppose to be second nature to you."

Orion sat staring at her. He honestly couldn't think of a thing to say in response to her.

"I thought we had come to some sort of an.....understanding. One that benefited us both and allowed us to exploit each other's talents for our mutual enjoyment."

"Merlin's Beard!" Orion spoke up suddenly in annoyance. "Could you have made that sound any more like you were discussing some business contract!?"

"That's what it was, Orion." Katlin stated flatly. "A contract. One that allowed us to do what we were doing without the complications it could involve."

"Complications?"

"I am what I am, Orion. Just as you are what you are."

"'So what's the point'. Is that the 'complication' you're talking about?"

"I'm talking about emotional investment. Of which the is no 'point'. We enjoyed each others company. Plain and simple. Fun and games. That's all. But there had to be ground rules. One of which I thought was that we trusted each other."

"For someone not looking for any 'emotional investment', trust seems an awfully big issue to you."

"Trust is very important to me, Orion."

"Important?! You sleep with men for information!"

Katlin shrugged the comment off.

"Tell me, exactly where does 'trust' figure into that equation?"

"When it's not just for information." Katlin replied in a softer tone.

"Really?" Orion gave her a sarcastic stunned look. "You mean you actually do that?"

Katlin's expression hardened suddenly. "Be very careful, Mr. Black. I'm not without limits when it comes to insults. And as for what I'm willing to do to accomplish my ends, tell me that particular talent isn't listed on your resume."

"Right near the top." Orion admitted readily. "As opposed to yours, where I would assume it is on top."

Katlin frowned again. "Your pushing those limits, Mr. Black. I would suggest you stop, unless you never care to see the sun rise again."

"I thought that was the ultimate end of every Auror captured by the Deatheaters." Orion put in in as uninterested a tone as he could manage.

Katlin crossed her arms in front of her as she took a few steps closer to the cage. "Not always. Sometimes their fates are left to me."

"I suppose that's something of an honor around here?"

"It is a very high one. And if I spare an Auror's life, there had best be a good reason."

"I'm cute?"

"Don't push me, Mr. Black."

"Now you see," Orion stated suddenly, "I'm starting to catch on to this. Whenever I piss you off, I'm suddenly 'Mr. Black'. When we're just having a conversation, I'm 'Orion'."

"And to think I had trouble understanding why they made you an Auror."

"So which is it now?"

Katlin seemed to consider the question for a moment. And Orion thought he caught just the smallest trace of a smile in her answer. 

"Orion."

"All right then, answer a question for me." He ask quietly.

"Which would be?"

"Why are you here?"

"Meaning?"

"You set me up, Katlin...."

"You laid your own trap." She defended sharply "Don't blame me for it."

"You abused the circumstances. You want to discuss 'trust'?" Orion snapped back.

"I simply acted the part you put me in."

Orion paused, taking a deep breath. "You set me up," he started again, holding up a hand to stop her as Katlin almost cut in again, "you brought me here as a captive, and now your standing here in front of my cell discussing trust issues. Why?"

Katlin paused a good deal longer, considering her answer. "Call it 'covering my bases'." She replied finally.

"Covering your bases?"

This time Katlin stood in silence before the bars of his cage for so long Orion wasn't sure if she was going to explain the comment or not.

"Those three days in Austria were......" Katlin seemed to search long and hard for the right word.

"Nice?" Orion offered.

Katlin considered the word for a moment. "Nice." She agreed finally.

"But?" Orion ventured when she didn't continue.

"But it was three days."

Orion worked very hard with what she had given him when she didn't continue again. Eventually understanding lit his expression.

"Ahhhh!" He stated with a pleased smile. "But that was three days, and now we're back in the real world. Is that it?"

Katlin simply stared back at him, her expression as unreadable as a person's could possibly be.

"Katlin," Orion replied, his voice barely a whisper, so that even without the silencing charm, no one but Katlin would have heard him, "those had to be, without question, three of the most incredible days of my life. I mean, I've been spending some serious time thinking up a few new lurid fantasies, because you covered most of the old ones in those three days. Right down to the one with the bathtub. And I would give anything I had for three more days with you. And three more after that. And three more after that. And as many more as I could get."

"But?" Katlin mimicked him.

Orion gave a small, resolute sigh to the question. "But you are a Deatheater, and I am an Auror. And that is not going to change."

"I am not a Deatheater 24/7, Orion." Katlin replied. "And certainly not when I'm with you. All I am then is a woman....who is enjoying a man's company. The rest is just politics. 

Now, I can put aside being a Deatheater when it suits me. The question is, can you ever stop being an Auror?"

Orion smiled at the suggestion, having never expected that answer from her. "I'm certainly willing to try."

Suddenly a voice echoed from down a nearby corridor.

"Katlin?"

Katlin seemed at first not to hear the man calling to her from the corridor. Instead she simply stood outside the bars of the cell staring at the man inside.

"Katlin?" The voice called again.

Katlin raised her wand and pointed it threateningly at Orion. 

"You sit and keep your mouth shut." She demanded. "Or so help me, I'll hex you into next week."

Orion started to say something, but he was quickly cut off as Katlin rapidly undid the silencing charm.

Seconds later a owner of the voice stepped into the chamber. He was a tall man, with a muscular build. His face was set in a hard expression, two dark eyes sweeping the room as he entered. His dark hair was cut very short and he wore a beard and mustache that were equally trimmed short.

"Katlin!" The man stated sharply.

Katlin suddenly turned to the man as though she had only just heard him. "Johnathan!" She stated. 

The man seemed to accept her presentation without question. "What are you doing down here? You should be upstairs with the others."

"Upstairs? What for?"

"Lord Voldemort has decided to deal with the Auror tonight. He's calling in most of us for the.....," The man cast a quick, malicious grin at Orion, "...show."

"But I haven't even questioned him yet! Surely Lord Voldemort realizes what a valuable source of information he could be?"

"Perhaps you'd like to go explain that to the dark lord, Katlin? Tell him all the reasons you think he shouldn't kill the Auror?"

Katlin fell silent, her gaze remaining fixed on the man before her.  
"Well?"

Katlin still remained silent. But Orion could practically feel the tension in her growing. It was like watching a caged animal, steeling itself up for a fight.

"Very well, then." The man stated suddenly. "Since you're already here, the least you can be is useful. Lord Voldemort and the others are waiting in the high chamber. Bring the Auror there."

"Me!?" Katlin stated sharply. "I'm no porter of prisoners! That is hardly a job suitable for......"

"Of course, if you feel you can't handle the Auror on your own......."

Katlin snapped her mouth closed in indignation.

"Well?"

"Am I to escort him alone then?" She asked between her teeth. "The Auror has already shown himself to be dangerous."

"Again, if you feel you can't handle him, Katlin, I'd be more than happy to......" The man's voice was positively dripping with a condescending tone.

"I can handle the Auror, Johnathan." She cut him off curtly.

"Then do so." The man snapped at her as he turned and left the chamber.

Katlin sneered after him. "I've handled him quite a bit, for your information." She hissed after him in a low tone with a touch of sarcasm mixed in with it.

"You can handle him some more if you like." A voice quickly broke into her thoughts. "He really doesn't mind."

Katlin turned sharply back to him. 

"A little 'before you die' send off?" Orion asked.

The look she gave him caused him to drop his hopeful smile quite quickly.

Katlin turned back to the corridor. She stood very still for a few moments, then turned back to Orion, who suspected she had been listening if the man had actually left.

"So why did you want to know if you were to escort me alone?" He asked instead. 

"Because the dark lord knows all too well you're dangerous."

"So why leave the task to one person?"

Katlin's whole demeanor became one of irritation. "I would suspect it is some sort of a test."

"Test? Of what? Surely Voldemort doesn't distrust you of all people."

Katlin's expression became completely unreadable. "The test isn't Voldemort's." She replied.

Orion started to asked the obvious when Katlin suddenly cut him off, her expression still as unreadable as ever.

"Do you want to survive this night, Orion?"

Orion paused for the briefest moment. "No." he answered flatly. "I'd rather die horribly."

"I can arrange that." Katlin stated sharply, but then added in a completely contrary tone. "Or I can arrange something else."

Before Orion could ask what, Katlin pointed her wand at the door to his cell and spoke a quick spell. Inside the lock, Orion could hear the bolts sliding free. Almost instantly the door swung partly open.

Orion sat staring at the open door.

"Why?" He ask.

Katlin tossed him a thin, polished piece of wood that he immediately recognized as his own wand as he snatched it out of the air.

"Because you brought my pendent back to me." She answered.

"That's all?"

"That's all."

"Good enough." Orion stated as he scrambled to his feet and hurried out the door after her.

Orion caught up to Katlin quickly enough. She wasn't making what he considered a lot of headway as she moved carefully down the corridor. But there was likely also good reason for her cautious pace.

"How long before they get suspicious?" He asked in a whisper.

Katlin didn't answer right away. "Maybe ten minutes." She replied finally. "If we're lucky."

Orion noted suddenly that Katlin didn't have her own wand out anymore.

"Is it really safe for only one of us to be armed?"

"It's necessary." Katlin replied quietly. "And if we're caught, you'd better make it believable."

Orion instantly wrapped an arm in front of her, catching her across the neck with it as he pulled her tightly against him. From the front he grabbed hold of her left wrist with his free hand and pulled it behind her. But he quickly slid his fingers down her wrist until they laced comfortably into her's. He carefully laid his lips against her ear.

"Oh, it'll look very believable." He whispered to her.

Katlin felt his lips part and his teeth grab her ear, giving it a merciless tug. 

"Orion!" 

"Answer the question with the truth this time." He whispered low in her ear again. "Why?"

Katlin paused for a few precious seconds. "You're wasting time." She said finally.

"Why?" The question was repeated, but this time with a slight nip to the ear again.

The act reminded Katlin all too well 'why' as her whole body could have melted into his embrace right there.

"You were suppose to be only kept as a prisoner." She replied. "Not killed."

"So I was to be an endless source of information as well as your......"

"No!" Katlin snapped back. But she felt Orion shrug behind her.

"Too bad." He whispered in her ear once more. "Tied up has promise."

Katlin gave a soft squeak as her ear got bit again. "Orion!" She turned to him slightly over her shoulder as she yanked her ear free from his teeth. "Business now!" She stated sharply. But almost immediately softened her tone. "Play later."

"Promise?" He asked in a low, lustful voice. "Something with ropes?"

Katlin smiled slightly, then pushed back against him and rubbed her back up against him, unquestionably aware of where their joined hands happened to be positioned.

"Promise." She let the word out in a slow, warm breath against his cheek. "Something with ropes."

Katlin smiled in satisfaction as she felt the body behind her give a small shudder down its entire length.

"You do that again and we won't get out of here until sun-up." He breathed into her ear.

"That's not so far away."

"Three days from now."

"And you're lucky we're in a blind spot." She told him. "From here on out there's no guarantee I can give you that they can't see and hear everything. Remember that."

"Then just a minute." Orion stated. 

Abruptly Katlin found herself pulled about and her mouth captured in a heated kiss that for one precious moment drove everything else from her mind. Merlin's Beard! If the man could do nothing else, he could kiss her to make her feel like she had never truly been kissed before in her life.

But Katlin finally and firmly pulled back from him, staring him hard in the eyes.

"Nine minutes, Orion." She stated.

"One more question." He said, abruptly pinning her against him with his one arm. "If we hadn't come to some....understanding in this...would I still be in that cage?"

"Nine minutes, Orion." She repeated.

"You're not going to answer that, are you?"

"You already know the answer. Or we can stand here and discuss it for the next eight and a half minutes until it's a moot point. Now which would you prefer?" 

Orion sighed quietly at her answer.

"How long to get out?"

"It won't be in eight and a half minutes. We'll be running a few minutes at least with the others looking for us."

"Will they know where to look?"

"They'll have a good idea."

"Why?"

"You'll want the shortest route out. There only a few of those."

"What about others? Ones that aren't so short?"

Katlin shook her head. "Too risky. I need to get you out as fast as possible. If they catch us......."

"We'll take the longer route." Orion stated firmly.

"Orion, any of those routes could take as long as fifteen minutes! Maybe longer."

Orion pulled her back against him again as he smiled against her neck. "I could think of worst ways to spend time than a few extra minutes alone with you."

"With a whole lair of Deatheaters looking for you as well?"

"So I'm popular."

"And you're getting more so by the minute."

"And we will have bought ourselves those few extra minutes by throwing them off course. They won't even be looking in the right place for us. The longer route will give us a better chance of getting out alive and unseen." 

"Providing no one thinks to check those corridors as well. Will you stop that!" She slapped his hand away as it tried to find an opening in her robes.

Orion sighed as he slipped his arm back up to her shoulder, his wand resting over it as he grabbed her hand behind her again. 

"All right. Lead on."

The rest of the trip was made in absolute silence. Orion followed closely behind Katlin, his moves guided by her grip on his hand as she would squeeze it slightly every time she wanted him to turn, speed up, or slow down.

After what seemed to Orion a good deal longer than fifteen minutes, he felt a cool rush of air come through the corridor they were in.

"The opening is close by?" He whispered.

Katlin only nodded her head.

Orion made a good show of shoving her forward in the case anyone was watching them. Throughout the entire trek he had stayed close behind her, his wand always resting on her shoulder. He had even given her a few forceful shoves for show as they hurried through the corridors of the lair.

Once outside Orion got his bearings and quickly headed off, his hand wrapped tightly still around Katlin's. 

But a yank on his hand pulled him to a stop. 

Orion turned around only to meet Katlin's set expression.

"You go on alone now, Orion." She told him simply.

Orion stared back at her. "You can't mean to stay?" He asked in disbelief. "They'll know it was you."

"What they'll know," Katlin replied, "is that in the middle of bringing you to Voldemort, you over-powered me and got your wand back. You then forced me to show you the way out. That is, unless you were planning on telling them something different."

"I sort of liked the version where we both were mooning Voldemort from the bottom of the hill."

"Trust me. It wouldn't go over very well with him."

Orion sighed as he came back up to where she was standing. Very slowly he raised his eyes to meet her's.

"You'll be all right?" He asked.

He watched her nod, searching the violet eyes for any sign of a lie. But what he found worried him even more. There was nothing there at all. She knew what he was looking for and, to keep him from finding it, closed all her emotions off to him.

"You need to go." She said finally.

"Are we being watched?" He asked quietly.

Katlin shook her head. "But they'll be coming soon."

Orion managed a small smile past his concern. "Kiss first." 

Katlin allowed him to effortlessly draw her lips to his. But as he slowly drew back, she wrapped her hand about his as he held his wand between them. 

With one sharp move she yanked the polished wooden stick sharply so the tip pointed up into her chest. She spoke a quick spell and a burst of light erupted between them.

Orion did his best to remain balanced. But the force from the spell blew him backwards and sent him over the edge of the hill and rolling down it in a cloud of dust and debris. 

When he hit the bottom he quickly regained his footing and turned back to the hill. 

He was aghast at how far he had fallen. 

The edge of the hill towered a good thirty feet up a sharp incline. It would take time to get back to the top, and he could already hear others responding to the noise.

Cursing, he turned and took off into the woods, feeling for where the anti-apparation spells stopped. 

He had underestimated Katlin. She had planned his escape better than he ever could have. She had also made it impossible for him not to leave her behind, as well as arranged for the whole scene to look as much like a forced escape as possible. Right down to his cursing her when she had served her purpose.

And she had spare no cost. The curse had been a nasty one. And would undoubtedly leave her with nothing less than something broken somewhere. But what he hated the most about it was that it left him with no way to know that she was all right as he hurried out of the reach of the Deatheaters.

A sharp tone from his wand alerted him to the end of the anti-apparation fields. Pausing for a minute, Orion turned back to the thick of trees, shielding the cliff-edge from his view. Finally, hearing the Deatheaters approach, he quickly apparated back to the Department offices.

He still had a report to file.

****

Q&A 

lilahp: How could you be anything BUT first. 

Dear, tell PAR the WHOLE story this time. Someone found a copy of Book V in a field? I have not heard anything about this. Tell, tell, tell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Orion may have just 'sent her away', but let me assure you, Katlin did not leave happy. In this story you have to read a lot between the lines, I afraid. These are people who live their lives constantly wondering who may be an enemy and how good of a friend your friend really is. This explains in part why Charly and Orion are so close. Charly is Orion's one true friend. He is the person Orion trusts without question. He has too. The man is his partner. Orion wasn't just 'sending her away', he was clearly telling her that he didn't trust her, or he would have let her stay and they would have tried to figure things out together. But what he was telling her was 'I don't trust you. I don't want you here. Leave.' Believe me, when she comes back, Orion has some things to answer for. But then, having read this chapter, you already know that. 

That closing scene, by the way, was why the chapter was titled what it was.

Orion is very much a man of action. It is what tends to get him in trouble more often than not. Charly, as you will see, is more of the 'thinker' of the two. But Orion has a reason for being a bit more reckless than most.

When is Charly going to sit Orion down and demand the truth? That's a large part of this story, Dear. You might be surprised by the answer as well.

Orion has no real rules but his own? BINGO!!!!!!! (*). Gold star, Dear! Will he be breaking any of them? You think he hasn't yet?

Will you get Katlin's background? Oh yes. Large part of the story there too. You have a chapter coming up later which is going to positively deluge you with information and will definitely change your perception of this story completely.

Voldemort can be nice? Of course he can. I can honestly say I am the leader of the fanclub of people tired of seeing Voldemort depicted as a 'kill anything that moves...or even before it moves' person. He is a person, folks. He has issues, feelings, and relationships just like everyone else. He cares about things and people. They may not be in a manner we think of as 'right', but they are still there. And one of the things he cares about the most is Katlin. She is every bit his daughter to him. If anything happened to Voldemort, Katlin would be the one the Deatheaters would turn to for leadership since she is closer to Voldemort than anyone else. And you want something to think about? Consider what will happen (and to who) when Voldemort finds out who 'daddy's little girl' is sleeping with?

You will get bits and pieces of the inner workings of the Department of Mysteries and the Unspeakables. They are an interesting bunch. But I'm afraid nothing in detail. Just enough to keep the story making sense.

As to your question about 'what would I have done had I found a copy of book V?'. Become JKR's new best friend. That's what.

If I found it....TRULY....found it, it would be mine to do with as I pleased and I would be headed for Southerby's (?) Auction House faster than you could say SOLD! Even better if I could get her to sign AND date it before the release date.

And speaking of white lab rats, you know why lab workers stop using white rats and switched to lawyers?

1. There are more lawyers than white rats.

2. People didn't complain as much about the researchers experimenting on lawyers.

3. There were some things even a rat wouldn't do.

And I will get to the story, Dear. Just takes me a while sometimes.

Werepup: I still think you would do very well writing short stories. All you sound like you lack is a little discipline with your writing. And that, Dear, comes with time. No one teaches you that.

As for not being able to keep up with your characters. Phffft! I've been a member of that club for ages. The secret is to keep a notebook on your characters and refer back to it often. True. Nothing gets more complicated than when you start your characters interacting with each other. But that's what makes a story. And when you can do this and make it believable and keep continuity, you have become a writer.

And stop berating yourself, Dear. You are your worst critic.

Well, I don't know about the black and white detective films. More like some of the action/adventure movies coming out these days. I'd love to tell you who I picture in my mind while I'm working on my characters, but I hate to spoil other people's own depictions they have come up with. Someday I might actually sit down and draw my characters out. But that takes a phenomenal amount of time and I simply don't have that right now.

Pyro: No, Dear. Sorry. Orin had nothing to do with Orion's contact being killed. Charly's comment on Orion sleeping with someone to get his position as head of the Unspeakables was just a sort of joke.

As for conspiracy theories. Yes, I like then too. But some of them are just too good. they actually start you wondering. But what worries me the most is when reasonably sound minded people start spouting some of the more ludicrous ones. I had a woman, teaching a group of people, stand up and proudly declare that the governemtn had found a cure for cancer years ago, and that they had killed off or driven all the doctors that knew about it to Mexico and kept it quiet because cancer was a good population control. Folks, THAT is ludicrous! And this woman was very serious.

That's frightening.

UnrepentantReader: I'm not sure what the problem was exactly, Dear. Did your review go somewhere else?

But I will take it on faith. But I miss the review. You're one of my favorites.

Also, I will point out as I did in the Author's Notes, that the chapters have gotten a bit messed up. I am having a terrible time with this new uploading system.

Very glad you liked the chapter, Dear.

I was going to erase the first part, but thought you might enjoy it.

Anyway, I see now what you meant. Yes, I go thte review linked to the other chapter upload. Sorry again for the confusion.

And yes, Dear, they do enjoy their time together. And thank you for the compliment on my ability to convey feelings and emotions. I never feel that is my strong suit truthfully. Nice to hear others do not agree.

Orion may be jumping to conclusions, but he has very little room for error in his life. So he is going by the 'better safe than sorry' rule right now by putting distance between himself and Katlin while he tries to sort things out.

You will get quite a bit of old Charly in this story. He has a major role to play, after all. And he will find out who Orion is seeing. Just maybe not the way you expect.

Actually, Charly's opinion of Voldemort and his Deatheaters might just surprise you. Talk about 'priorities'. But it also shows the lengths he's willing to go to for a friend.

The volumes I would see Charly and Orion's situation speaking despite the prejudices they live within is the strength of the relationship between them. As I've said before, this relationship makes James and Sirius' look like a casual acquaintance.

You think Katlin's interesting? Wait until you meet a few other Elites. They are a group unto themselves. And an interesting one to boot. But yes, Katlin does have standards and values and she lives very strictly by them.

I am glad you like Katlin. She's a 'here to stay' character. And yes, she is no slut. A workaholic maybe. But no slut.

Well, if not knowing if its a comfort or a torture knowing the chapters are written, Dear, try this on for size. They aren't all written. This story isn't so much 'still in production' as 'still at the presses'. I know where the story will go and how it will end, I just haven't finished writing it yet. But we are almost there.

Heeheehee. Eight. Heeheehee. PAR read ElfQuest when she was about 23. Do the math. Richard and Wendy are very nice people too. They were very instrumental in trying to save PAR's butt in contract negotiations.

Yes, Cypress Gardens is still an ongoing saga. It appears the developers want their slice of the pie and the state isn't sure they can buy the whole thing. A new twist is that a developer in Orlando wants to buy the park and LEASE it to others. People, a developer being involved in Cypress Gardens decisions is what got us here in the first place. Have we learned NOTHING!?

Arania: Classical romance, huh? Sorry, Dear. Very little of the traditional stuff here. But Orion does have his moments. Give it some time. Let the Pheromone cloud clear and see what develops then. I mean, at some point you have to wake up and face reality. She's a Deatheater and he's an Auror. That is not going to change.

Cliff hangers are meant to bring you back on your hands and knees, Dear. Greatest writing tool ever developed.

I can't berate Disney World too much. When they first started they bought thousands of acres of land around them and have preserved it. Albeit not for totally altruistic reasons, they are still preserving Florida lands. But it does appear the state will be buying Cypress Gardens under the Florida Forever grant. The question everyone is now waiting for the answer too is 'how much of it will be preserved?'.

What makes you think he's broken it off with her? All he did was give himself some breathing room. Which he desperately needed.

Yup. Five (count 'em) five kids. ANd that's all I'm saying about that because that is a whole different story.

Well, thank you for reading and reviewing.

Yes, Dear. Arania made a little funny.

Mezzanotte-Storia: Thank you, Dear.

Silverfox: Dear, Orion Black is what we like to refer to as 'rolling in it'. The man works because he likes what he does, not by any means because he has to.

Currently, you can safely assume Charly does not know who Orion is involved with. That will change sooner than you will be aware.

If you think I write a good Snape, I hope you have tried out Bored Beyond Belief's Never Alone, Never Again and Starlight's It's A One Time Thing That Just Happens A Lot. Both excellent stories with good Snape characterizations.

Reviews are as of 05112003. 


	4. Chapter Four: Guidelines To A Relationsh...

Chapter Four: **Guidelines To A Relationship**

Orion returned to work only a few days following his escape from the Deatheaters lair. Even Bale had suggested that returning to work so soon might not be the best idea. But Orion was simply looking desperately for some way to occupy his time. He had no idea when or if he would ever see Katlin again. And truth be told, he was more concerned than he wanted to admit as to how badly she might have been injured by the spell. And every day that went by that he didn't hear from her was one more day that his concern grew.

Nearly two weeks after his escape, Orion sat at his desk working over several pieces of parchment when a small, snow white owl suddenly startled him as it landed with pin-point accuracy on his desk.

The little owl walked cautiously across the pile of papers to the edge of the desk. The look on its face one of utter irritation. Finally it regally stuck its leg out for Orion to take the letter attached to it.

Orion watched the little bird as he carefully untied the letter, swearing the bird was giving him a decidedly unfriendly stare.

"If you aren't female, I swear I'll become one." He stated, staring down the little owl, who met his gaze without flinching.

Charly, sitting on the desk opposite his, immediately fell forward on his desk, hands clasped tightly in front of him.

"Oh, dear God!" He prayed fervently. "I swear I shall dedicate myself to a pure, religious life if that bird is just named 'George'."

Orion looked over at his partner as he unfolded the letter, shaking his head as he turned his attention to the piece of parchment.

The contents of the letter were actually quite short. They gave only a time, a date (that night), and a location. The only other instructions were that he was to bring the owl, Marie, back with him then, rather than send her with a reply. 

A simple, unceremonious letter 'k' closed the note out.

Orion glanced over at his partner as he folded the piece of parchment and stuffed it in his robes.

"You will be happy to know that your life of decadence is safe once again, Charly." He answered Misser's pleading look. "For this bird is a 'Georgette'."

Charly sighed quietly as he pulled himself up, shaking his head as he walked out of the office.

Watching him go, Orion slowly slipped the letter out of his robes and reread it again, a small smile playing across his lips.

That evening Orion spent setting up as romantic a scene as he could pull from his memory. The note had stated the meeting place was to be the alleyway were they first met. But he wasn't planning on spending their evening there. Anymore than he believed those were Katlin's plans either.

He started with a bottle of champagne chilled in the livingroom by the sofa. Followed by soft music, soft lights, and a soft rug. Providing they ever made it to the bedroom, he left that for Katlin to do what she wanted with, certain she could think up something wonderfully entertaining, if not down right erotic.

At the appointed time, Orion apparated to the alleyway and settled in to wait. He didn't discard the idea entirely that this could be just another trap. But he had come prepared this time with a Tag, just in case. No matter what happened, he could always apparate out of trouble.

And so he waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

An hour after the scheduled time, Orion finally apparated home. The Deatheater hadn't even put in an appearance and he had been left standing in the alleyway feeling more foolish with every passing second.

Why hadn't she come?

Orion spent the rest of the night rolling the question around in his mind. But none of the answers suited him. And so several hours and two thirds of a bottle of champagne later he finally settled on the one that simply seemed the easiest to accept. He had been set up again.

Orion awoke the next morning to an empty champagne bottle next to him in the bed and the soft hooting of the small snow-white owl seated on the beam at the end of his bed. A small smile formed as he stared at the little bird. 

Well, if nothing else, at least he could have a little revenge this time.

Orion tied an envelope to the leg of the tiny owl and sent it off. Most people would likely call the act childish. But somehow it gave him a certain amount of satisfaction.

That evening Orion answered the knock on his front door to find Katlin Griss standing there with a very unpleasant look on her face.

"Well, this is something of a surprise." Orion stated calmly. "I thought the meeting was for last night."

Katlin held her hand up and turned it over. A small pile of ashes got caught in the breeze and scattered as they shifted out of her hand.

"A Howler!" She stated in a heated voice. "You sent me a Howler?"

"I don't like being stood-up, Katlin."

"So you sent poor Marie back with a Howler just so you could get your little slice of revenge on me because I didn't show up to keep you entertained all night? Most people would consider that a little childish, Mr. Black!" She stated, shoving past him as she stormed over the threshold.

Orion went after her. 

"All right. If it was undeserved, then explain it to me. Where were you?"

Katlin turned sharply back to him with a very unfriendly smile on her lips.

"I wasn't aware I had to explain anything to you, Mr. Black."

"Then why did you come?"

"To give you one anyway. Just so you have something to think over on all those very lonely nights you have to look forward to." She stated, punctuating 'very lonely nights' to make sure he understood every word.

Orion stared back at her past an unreadable expression. Despite her statement, one fact remained for him. 

She had come.

"At the last minute, Voldemort called a meeting of his Elite Deatheaters, of which I am one. You don't hand in excuses as to why you can't attend those meetings. Least of all 'because I have plans to spend the evening in a Auror's bed instead'. I've never found that one to go over very well with the dark lord."

Orion paused for a moment. "So your excuse is 'you were at a meeting'?"

"It's not an 'excuse', Orion. It's telling you where I was and why. And why you'll likely be sleeping alone for a very long time as far as I'm concerned."

"And how do I know that's the truth?"

"Check your bed."

"The meeting part." Orion corrected.

The little owl took flight from Katlin's shoulder as she felt the muscles underneath her tightening. The last thing she wanted was to be in the middle of a fight.

"How dare you!?" Katlin hissed at him in a low, dangerous tone. "After what I did for you........after I helped you escape.......you still would stand there and accuse me of lying!?"

"And that could have been nothing more than a set-up as well."

Katlin suddenly looked shocked. "A set-up?" She questioned, her expression quickly altering back to one of extreme annoyance. "A set-up!? You think I bothered having you captured, used other Deatheaters to do it, didn't let Johnathan just have you to take to Voldemort, took the responsibility of your escort on myself, went thought that whole embarrassing episode with you just to try and sort things out with you....for us, helped you escape, stunned myself to make the whole thing look real, got injured to boot, and to top it all off had to suffer Voldemort's punishment for what happened........"

"Punishment?" Orion stated abruptly, cutting her off. "What punishment?"

Katlin stopped, giving him a sarcastic smile. "Honestly. What did you think? That the dark lord is handing out awards to those that let prisoners escape? Especially ones as important as you?"

Orion eyed her carefully. "What punishment?" He repeated.

Katlin paused for a very long time. "It wasn't pleasant." She finally answered in a whisper. "And all I got for it was more of your mistrust." Katlin turned to where the little owl was sitting higher up on the bannerrail of the stairs. She raised her arm and whistled for the little bird, which came immediately to her call.

"Come on, Marie." She told the owl, turning to Orion with a deep scowl. "We're going home."

But Orion reached out and grabbed her upper arm to stop her. The action met with a slight cry of pain as Katlin froze in his grip.

"Katlin?"

Katlin pulled back as Orion released his hold on her. Her eyes met his questioning stare.

"From the spell." She said a little too quickly. "There are still bruises."

Orion stood in silence staring down at her. He knew well enough when he was being lied to. What concerned him more was that she was lying this badly.

"What did he do to you?" Orion asked in a very soft tone, running his hand gently over her arm this time.

"Nothing more than I deserved. I should have left you to rot in that cell."

"For all the good it did you, your probably right." Orion replied. He had expected her to have been hurt by the spell. That was a given, and he had spent days worrying about how she was because of it. But he had never thought that Voldemort would target her specifically for his escape. "But suppose I could make it up to you? For not trusting you when you've certainly given me no reason to do otherwise?"

"How?"

"I don't know yet. But I'll think of something, all right? Just give me a chance." He added with a smile, trying to dispel some of her anger.

"Unlike what you've given me?" She snapped back at him.

Orion sighed quietly. He wasn't going to deny her her right to be angry. 

"And suppose we make a pact." He added. "We never discuss business between us again. If you're late....or you can't come at all due to a meeting....or a mission...or anything else involving Voldemort and his Deatheaters, it's just....'business'. That's all I need to hear. All right?"

"Why should I have to give you any explanation at all?"

"Because if you don't, I'll just worry."

"You're assuming there'll be a next time." Katlin replied.

Orion could definitely hear a little of the coolness leave her voice. "Well, if there isn't, you'll never know just how sorry I can be."

"I think I've seen how sorry you can be, Mr. Black." She stated firmly.

"Katlin....," He replied softly, giving her his best, most charming smile, "have pity on me. Stay tonight."

But Katlin pulled back from him, the anger in her eyes only slightly diminished.

"I have to go." She stated. "Business." She added curtly.

Orion watched as she attempted to disapparate. But nothing happened.

Katlin tried again, then turned a suspicious gaze on Orion.

"Why can't I disapparate?" She stated indignantly.

"Anti-apparation fields. No one can apparate in or out of the house unless I want them to." Orion paused for a moment. "Kind of kills the whole 'grand exit thing', huh?"

Katlin narrowed her eyes at him.

"They end just at the end of the path to the door." He informed her quickly.

Katlin eyed him for a few more seconds, then swept past him, slamming the front door after her as she left.

****

Q&A

****

ENEMIES

skahducky: Ahhhh, the words every writer longs to hear. 'I wasn't expecting that.' Thank you, Dear. You've made P.A.R. happy.

Daughter or not, she will get punished. Just not for what you might think.

FairyTale: I was told to go read your stories. That you are very good. So I will have to go check you out.

Poor Orion. The most mis-understood character since Aaron Richards. People went from hating him in Family Relations to loving him in Enemies. That just goes to show once again that you can't always judge a book by its cover people. Or even by the first few pages for that matter.

I'm very glad you like my Q&A's, Dear. Thank you.

English is not your native language!? Could've fooled me!

Well, to a point, you have Orion down pretty well. He is a very distant person. Despite how he came off in Partners, Orion likely hasn't had a relationship in his life that didn't last over a week. But this one feels different to him. And he's not sure why. And perhaps it scares him just a little to be with someone he feels that connected to and have them be as wrong for him as anyone could possibly be.

How will Charly react to meeting Katlin? I really hope the chapter lives up to all the expectation being placed on it. I am still pretty confident I won't get flamed too badly.

Does Katlin become Orion's wife? Yes, I might have a lot of explaining to do. Then again....I might not.

As far as DE's and their philosophies go, Katlin is in the right company, believe me. She is totally devoted to the cause. And she has good reason when you get into her history.

Have you read ahead on this story or so? I actually have a scene somewhat similar to that in here. (But yours is very cute and much funnier.)

Indeed, 'business' is not discussed. Although I think you'll find that a rule that is overlook more than once on both sides.

As that you are a darned good writer yourself, feel free to throw ideas at me. I give credit. And my characters are not trademarked (yet).

nessie: And apparently you can review as well. Yeah!!!! And I'm glad you like Katlin a bit more now, Dear. She's going to be rather prominent in the story.

No-Name: Thank you. *Smiles.*

Eva Phoenix Potter: Actually, both characters have valid points in their views of the relationship. The only thing they both agree on currently is that, regardless of how strange it may seem, it works for them.

Katlin is a wonderful enigma. The best part of writing about her is that she is a character that I actually do understand very well. She sees something she wants, but she isn't sure if she's ready to deal with the social (not to mention the political) ramifications of going after it. She's very dedicated to Voldemort, but she's also a woman finding herself very attracted to the wrong type of man.

Florida is very warm, Dear. And wet. And humid. And hot. And full of bugs, and daily storms, swamps, gators, ahhhhh.....*hugs self*....home!

Currently Cypress Gardens future is up for grabs...literally. There is a park owner in Georgia who wants to buy it and I think it's a bit of a race to the finish line between him and the state who gets the money together first. We'll have to wait and see.

Werepup: Carple tunnel? Ohhhh, P.A.R. knows about this one, Dear. Both hands. And yes, it hurts a great deal. Especially in the mornings. I'm given to wearing braces at night. That helps some, and I'm not keen on the surgery.

No, Dear, pain does not stop a writer from writing. Very little can do that.

It's not my stories that will make you reach any level you aspire to, Dear. It is your own innate ability and your devotion to developing it. And if the true desire is there, nothing will stop you.

Arania: Thank you, Dear. I did check out mugglenet. It's been a long time since I visited that site and yes, it is an excellent Harry Potter website. They do a good job with it. But understand where 'the best' is concerned, I am a long time Leaky Cauldron fan. (No matter how many times they change their &*%^$# name and address.) (I'm sorry. P.A.R. felt the need to swear a little.)

'She finally defied big V for him'? What makes you think she did it for him? Very little altruism here, Dear. Purely selfish motives, I afraid.

Their situation has been complicated long before this.

Roll: So, 'Semmel' is Bavarian for 'roll'. P.A.R. can go to bed happy now. She's learned something new today.

'Bretze' sounds familiar to me. I think I heard that word somewhere before.

Rambling is fine, Dear. P.A.R. doesn't mind. I learn about you guys when you ramble.

You sort of answered your own question, Dear. (Men!) He's a man, Dear. Honestly!

Actually, I did answer this one in another review. 

Actually, Orion doesn't think that their happening to be in the same place at the same time is a coincidence. He thought Katlin was there as a distraction. 

Did he think that over later? Yes. 

Did he realize he might have been wrong? Yes.

Does he realize how much 'stuff' he's in now? Well, currently, yes.

Yes, Dear, he is an Unspeakable. But it's that darned pheromone cloud that keeps clouding the view.

GOOD HEAVENS! How could you spoil the book like that!!!!!!!? Yeah, big revelation. That's the same as saying 'something happens in this installment of the series'.

FEVER

Lions Blood: Thank you, Dear. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Silverfox: Is he too stupid to realize he's mortal? No. Just convinced he's a little harder to kill than most. And with good reason. But that comes up later.

Voldemort's fortress. Alleyways. What's the difference?

Can Orion hide this from Charly forever? Absolutely not. But he's going to make a solid go of it first, knowing full well his partner is going to be none to pleased about things.

UnrepententReader: I'm so glad you liked the chapter. Especially the conversation. It was very hard to put that to paper and have it come out making sense as well as be believable. Thank you.

sweets: Working and going to school can be tough. And you might also want o check out usajobs.gov or .com. I'm not sure which. They list a lot of government jobs all over the world. Very nice site.

Cypress Gardens is indeed The Continuing Saga. Currently some park owner in Georgia is interested in buying it. Who knows?

Orion is a bastard in his own right? Well, he can be. But he can be a decent sort too when he wants to.

I'm very glad you gave the story a try, Dear. And even more so that you are enjoying it.

lilahp: Yes, Dear. All for you (and my wonderful curiosity.)

What is it you're writing home to mom about, Dear, that she won't understand?

I did go to Mugglenet and found the story there. It was quite interesting, and I had not heard any of this before.

Glad you enjoyed the chapter. And although they seemed to be downplaying it, they were both very well aware of the danger they were in. Especially Katlin.

As for her helping him to get away, she had no choice, really. She didn't expect him to be killed. She was quite sure Voldemort would keep him for questioning due to his status in the Ministry. It was a very unexpected surprise to her when she found out he was scheduled to be executed and that just didn't fit into her plans at all. And she was the one who got him into the situation, she felt obligated to get him out of it.

Orion is in very little trouble. He got captured. He got away. That's all the Ministry is interested in.

Katlin has a very good reason to see Voldemort like a father. But that is all part of her background story. And sorry, no evil Aurors from the past. Katlin and her parents actually knew very little about Voldemort or the Ministry or anything else way back when. How they all crossed paths is part of the story.

I'm assuming you meant 'to catch Orion', not 'Sirius'. And why would she go to all that trouble? For the very reason she said. She wanted answers. Was it the reason she thought, or was there something there she could use later? For good or bad, why he let her live was something she wanted an answer to.

That little pendent is actually important to the story in many ways. And you'll see a lot of it.

I am a bit better these days. But I have good days and bad ones. Thankfully more good than bad.

The joke was very cute, Dear. Thank you.

****

FEVER

Lions Blood: Thank you, Dear. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

****

FAMILY LIFE

Katherinelou: I'm sure the wedding will be crazy too, Dear. If they ever get there.

Actually, one of the cutest wedding day stories I've read was one called Slapped. Can't remember the author right now, but it was worth the read.

Starlette: Ohhhh, such a good reviewer. Nice long reviews.

So glad you enjoyed the story, Dear.

Your comments about Arabella made perfect sense to me, Dear. No problem. And very nice they were, too.

I do agree. Some stories make Harry out to be a little too perfect. And I am the first one to say I have been guilty of this. The whole point in many of my stories is trying to have the kid show a little more emotion than in the Canon versions, where I think he shows near to none.

Happily ever after? Phffft! You don't know P.A.R. very well, Dear.

I enjoyed writing Sirius. And I always will. I think he is a very interesting character to play with. There are just so many things you can do with him.

Ahhhh, someone remembered poor Sirius' injured leg. No, Dear, it is not healed. If you read the previews to Family Life's sequel, Family Relations (posted at the end of several stories and chapters of other stories), Sirius is walking with a cane due to his injured leg.

Family Life is indeed sequeled, Dear. It, in fact, has two sequels. Family Relations, which I am currently working on, and Family Ties, part three of the Family story arc.

I enjoyed your rambling very much. I hope you enjoy my stories.

****

TRIED AND CONVICTED

Starlette: Wow. Chapter by chapter. You gotta admire that kind of dedication.

The first chapter was not one of my best and purple water and I went around quite a bit about that chapter and some plot holes in it.

Actually, no one else thought of that, but you're right. If Sirius was guilty, why would James and Lily have been so cordial to him in the previous story. Good point. Gold star. (*) Enjoy.

Yes, actually, Harry did know his mother in The Bonds That Tie. He also recognized her int he picture Lupin showed him. And yes, it was actually stated that Lily went off to see Harry while James talked to Sirius in The Bonds That Tie.

Actually in the P.A.R. Harry Potter universe, Snape and Lupin were friends during their school years. That story is in progress with no current release date. The story is titled Proper Friends.

****

THE BONDS THAT TIE

Starlette: Why would anyone in their right mind NOT like chapter by chapter reviews? I do them. And I have messed up my computer some how and can not get rid of that indentation, so live with it, please.

Anyway, Keep in mind in this story that No one is really sure which side of the fence Sirius is on. That was the whole reason Dumbledore had Sirius staying with Remus in the first place. So that Remus could sort of keep an eye on him.

Personally, I love doing Baby Harry stories. They're easy, they're cute, and they draw a crowd every time.

No, you were not misreading. At that point Dumbledore knows Sirius is there. But both are being careful because the ministry is also sniffing about looking for Sirius.

Aaron Richards is Remus' pack leader. He is the werewolf who (in the universe according to P.A.R., came to Remus' parents after Remus was bitten and helped him (and them) adjust to his new state. And pretty much everyone jumped on the 'Aaron Richards is a bad man' bandwagon. I have no idea why. He is the most 'guilty before proven innocent' character I have to date. (With Orion Black running a close second.)

Why didn't Remus think of Hogwart's before? He was a bit stressed. Not thinking clearly. All that stuff.

Basically CPR is what they did on Sirius to get him breathing again. P.A.R. is a big fan of CPR. It is also what Sirius used on Harry in Fever when he stopped breathing.

Why did the ministry suddenly knock on the door? Pure coincidence.

The line thing is a writing tool, Dear. Very good for making readers look at the story the way you want them too. I didn't want that all in one paragraph. It would have read very badly if I had done that. Breaking things down to smaller sentences cues your reader into that something is going on that is suspenseful and gives them a bit of what the characters are feeling.

Indeed, the light was James' way of rescuing them and getting them to Hogwarts.

Remus' not wanting to hand Harry over is a relation to his werewolf instincts. He's in a very stressful situation. Nothing is making sense to him, and basically, he's confused. Now here comes a happy little house elf saying, 'Give me the kid. I'll take care of him.' Remus doesn't know that house elf from a hole in the wall and he's not letting go of anything until he's sorted things out a little better. It's very 'werewolf instinct'. Stay with what you know until you know better.

Yes, indeed. Aaron Richards is a bone-chewing, fur-shedding, tail-wagging, 100% werewolf.

Chapter 13. Wow. Lots of questions. First, Why didn't James mention Peter? Call it whatever you like. Author oversight. Poor story layout. I just wasn't focused there while writing this.

Why doesn't Sirius ever tell anyone Peter was the secret keeper. He's somewhat ill at the moment. And I think he did elude to it with Remus when he was in jail. He was just too sick to get the whole story out.

He's not just waltzing about outside. He's actually a bit delirious.

The thermometer thing was one of my better scenes.

Chapter 15 was one of my favorites to write because it was mostly just for fun. And the whole thing between Remus, Aaron, and Sirius I loved writing.

Thank you, Dear. I'm glad you enjoyed it. However, I can't really comment on your guess. All I can say is what I usually say in these situations. You're on the right track, but your train left the station without all the passengers on board.

Reviews are as of 05242003. If I missed you, I am sorry. Please let me know and I'll get you next time. 

****


	5. Enemies Chapter Five: Well, You Didn't ...

****

A/N:

This was added in at the last minute, folks. You might have noticed I took a short vacation there for two weeks. It wasn't intentional. I am trying to post at least once a week. But, sadly, PAR had a death in the extended family. The grandmother of my sister-in-law died suddenly from complications of a surgery. She was 84 and lived a very full life. The family was very close and the death was very hard on them. So, if you could keep them in your prayers, as well as Lyda Padgett, I would appreciate it.

And now the rest.

Just a quick little chat, folks, then I'll let you get on with things.

You remember a few chapters back (what was it, three?) I said that in Family Relations Orion had kids, you just wouldn't be seeing them? Well, here's the hard part of writing four stories at the same time. You make mistakes.....over and over and over....and over. So, just to make sure you're really confused, allow me to make the following amendment to the story line. 

No, Orion has NO children in Family Relations. I looked at my story line, compared it to my time line, and things just didn't work out very well. So poor Orion will just have to wait a little while longer for fatherhood to arrive on his doorstep.

The author seriously apologizes for any and all non-intentional harm done to the readership by constant shifts in storylines. 

Oh, and by the way, to all of you who think you have Enemies figured out, allow me to lob the ball back in your court. No, Katlin is not the mother.

Also, author made a bad error in one of the Q&A answers last time where I told FairyTale that 'Orion likely hasn't had a relationship in his life that didn't last over a week'. When I re-read that, I realized I had said the exact opposite of what I meant. It should have read 'Orion hasn't had a relationship in his life that lasted over a week'.

And just to prove you how much of a sense of humor God really has, allow me to offer the following. My ex-boss (some of you might remember this, as that I think I mentioned it before) applied for a job where I now work. Happy, happy. Joy, joy. I really liked my old boss. Well, being overall the most qualified candidate (the man has 21 years experience in one location), he got offered the job, AND TURNED IT DOWN! I could have killed him. I called a friend of mine and cussed up one end and down the other about him. I had done everything to help get him that job. Picked up and delivered resumes, and some things I can't discuss. But I did a lot. And he turns it down. Humph!

Well, as things would have it, my old workmate, who I really liked working with, also applied for this job. As well as two others he didn't get. With that average against him, I didn't think he stood a chance. 

Guess who got the job?

So folks, God works in mysterious ways. And other times, he just wants to prove to you you really don't know what he's up to!

And as always.....,

Enjoy.

Chapter Five: Well, You Didn't Kill Me, So I Must Be Making Progress

The very next night Orion sat in a small, secluded room of an even more secluded restaurant. He had sent Katlin a owl that morning asking her to meet with him that night at the restaurant. The owl hadn't returned by the time he was getting ready to leave and he had taken that as a good sign.

But as five minutes became ten became fifteen, Orion began to wonder if he was just in for another long, lonely night. 

But with head resting on folded hands, a small smile suddenly crossed his face. Without looking up, he listen to the sounds around him. In a slow, but steady wave, the restaurant began to fall silent in the back ground. Like a silencing spell passing through the crowd, Orion listened to the din of voices cut short, then slowly start again, moving through the crowd toward the alcove that his table sat sequestered in.

He followed the sound carefully. When it came close enough to him, he slowly started to get to his feet as he turned around. But half way up, he stopped, his eyes resting on the figure before him.

Dressed in a startlingly short but impossibly tasteful black dress, was Katlin Griss. Perched majestically on her arm was a large, black owl, who quickly hopped from her arm to his master's shoulder. 

Her long, dark auburn hair was pulled up in a manner that perfectly accented her high cheekbones and softly curved jaw line. Around her neck, laying in just the right position to highlight the whole ensemble, was the small diamond pendent.

Katlin gave her date a small, well-tempered smile as she walked past him to her seat. Orion barely made it in time to pull the chair out for her.

"Well," she said casually as a waiter rushed over to hand her a menu, lingering just long enough admiring the view to earn him a warning stare from Orion, then leaving quickly as he snapped the curtain to the room shut, "up until you turned around, you didn't seem the least bit surprised that I was here."

Orion gave her a pleasantly happy smile. "Because up until that point, your arrival was well announced."

"Really?" Katlin looked interested. "In what manner?"

"I followed every step you took by how quiet everyone got when you walked past. My bet would be mostly the male population of the restaurant, followed rather quickly by the irritated silence of their own dinner companions as the former stared after you."

"How very perceptive." Katlin stated, watching as the black owl stepped off of Orion's shoulder and onto the chair behind him. "So, what's his name?"

Orion turned briefly to the bird behind him. "Oh, him? This is Rupert."

Katlin gave a sudden snort of laughter. "You're joking!" She gasped. "You named a beautiful, majestic animal like that....'Rupert'?"

"Trust me, if I hadn't given him some sort of name like that, he'd be impossible to deal with. Takes a bit of the wind out of his sails, if you know what I mean."

Katlin gave the bird a sympathetic look. "Poor Rupert." She cooed at him. "Giving you such a name."

The owl paused, then took a leap into the air, gliding gracefully across the table to Katlin's chair, where he perched himself comfortably. Turning around, he shook his feathers indignantly at the person across the table.

"Oh, that's lovely." Orion lamented. "This is just what I'm talking about." He stated, gesturing to the owl. "He's got you pegged now and he'll play you for sympathy all night."

Katlin reached behind her and gave the bird an affectionate scratching on its head before turning her curious violet eyes slowly back to Orion.

"So," she asked in a low purr, "what was so important about tonight that you wanted to see me?"

"Life was losing meaning for me?"

Katlin gave him a sideways sort of stare. "Oh, honestly. Could you try at least to be a little original?"

Orion's face softened into a smile. "You look very lovely tonight."

"A pretty little Deatheater?"

"A very beautiful woman." Orion replied. "Who I am sure has captured the attention of every man in this restaurant. And who I am very pleased chose to sit with me."

"You were who I was meeting with. Where else was I suppose to sit?"

"You could have chosen not to come."

"I could have. But then I would never have found out how very sorry you can be."

Orion smiled slightly at her as a nervous waiter carefully slid the curtain back.

"Are you ordering then, Sir?" the young man asked cautiously.

Orion never took his eyes off Katlin. "A bottle of champagne." He replied. "And tell Mario I want it from his private stock. Not that watered down grape juice he serves the rest of his customers. And then I want the chef to cook this beautiful lady whatever she wants. I couldn't care if its on the menu or not."

Katlin gave Orion a small smile as she looked over the menu.

"There's no need to be so particular, Orion." She said softly. "I'm sure such a fine restaurant will have something to my liking."

Katlin briefly glanced over the menu, then turned to the waiter. She quickly addressed him in perfect French, asking a question about an item on the menu. The young man immediately brightened at the question and answered his guest in kind.

Katlin smiled at him, and after a short conversation, gave him her order. The man bowed to her with a few more words and turned to Orion. 

"And you, Sir?" He asked.

Orion hadn't even looked at the menu, his gaze still resting happily on his dinner companion. 

"I'm sure whatever the lady is having will be fine."

The man left quickly with a slight bow.

"So," Orion asked, "what am I having?"

"You are having a very lovely cut of steak, removed from the bone, cut in strips, and covered in a light wine sauce, served over rice. You will love it."

"I'm sure I will."

"Are you going to be this accommodating all evening?" Katlin frowned.

"Too agreeable?"

"'Boring' is a better word."

"I can be a bit more disagreeable if you like."

"I would prefer you just be yourself. Or at least be the man I had dinner with in Austria. He wasn't so bad."

Orion gave her a small smile. "Really?"

Katlin favored him by returning a small portion of the smile. "Really."

"Just so I know," he ask, "have I been forgiven then for my 'childish act'?"

The smile just barely disappeared. "You're being given the opportunity to show me how sorry you can be." She replied formally.

"Then I'll do my best."

Carefully unfolding her napkin, Katlin settled it in her lap before turning back to him.

"You seem to know this place fairly well." She said conversationally.

"The owner is an old friend." Orion replied. "I come here when I want....privacy. Mario guarantees that for me."

Katlin made a small sound as she looked about the small room they were in.

"This looks very......"

"Romantic?" Orion ventured hopefully.

"Expensive." Katlin stated, turning back to him.

Orion shrugged, but said nothing.

The waiter suddenly reappeared carrying a bottle of champagne. As soon as he had his customer's approval of the selection, he quickly set about opening the bottle and filling the two glasses on the table.

"But," she added, picking up her glass and carefully rolling the pale amber liquid about in it, "I suppose for a man who lives in a mansion, this is quite a common situation for him."

"Common?"

"Having a private dining room for himself and his guest."

"Hardly," Orion replied as the waiter quickly slipped back out through the curtain, "I'm usually here alone."

Katlin raised a well-lined eyebrow. "Alone?" She asked. "Really, Mr. Black. Where are all the pretty little things who are trying snare the eligible bachelor?"

Orion picked up his own glass as he leaned back in his chair, giving his dinner companion a mischievous smile.

"Really, Katlin." He stated. "Hardly subtle for a woman of your persuasion."

Katlin raised an eyebrow at him again.

"If you want to know about me, just ask. And as for those last two references, 'yes, I am very rich', and 'no, I am not currently seeing anyone'."

Katlin paused, but then shrugged slightly as she took a sip from her glass.

"I'm just making conversation." She answered in a pleasant but bored fashion.

Orion placed his elbows on the table as he leaned towards her. "Fine. My turn then. Who's Johnathan?"

Katlin looked up over the rim of her glass. A small hesitation showed in her movements as she slowly placed it back on the table.

"Why would you want to know about Johnathan?"

"Just making conversation." He replied with a small smile.

"Well, it'll be a short subject. Johnathan is.....what I am." She replied carefully. It was always safer in public places, no matter how secluded, not to say the word 'Deatheater'. 

"An Elite?" Orion questioned.

Katlin nodded.

"So, why was he testing you back in the lair?"

"Who said he was testing me?"

"You did. I asked why you were being tested by 'someone'. You said the test wasn't his. That left one other person."

Katlin stared back at him across the table, a small smile creeping across her lips as she noted his exclusion of using Voldemort's name. Like the word 'Deatheater', it was one best not used in public.

"So, why was he so interested in testing you? Fail the last one?"

Katlin's stare shifted almost immediately to a very cold look. She paused for a moment, then abruptly got up from the table, throwing her napkin down on it as she headed for the curtain.

But Orion jumped up from his own chair and blocked her path.

"All right." He stated quickly, holding his hands up in front of him. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for."

"And rude!" Katlin snapped at him.

"And very rude." Orion agreed quickly. "I apologize."

Katlin considered the apology, then slowly turned around and went back to her seat.

Orion quickly held her chair back out for her as she slowly seated herself again. As she carefully laid the napkin back in her lap, he leaned around the side and lightly touched his lips to her cheek.

Katlin watched him walked back around the table and take his own seat again.

"What was that for?" She asked.

"For staying." Orion replied with a pleased smile. "Despite my very crude attempt to 'go fishing'. I suppose I'm not as subtle as you are."

Katlin thought over his statement for a moment.

"Ahhhh, I see." She replied finally, picking up her glass again. She stared at the small bubbles forming about the rim for a few moments before turning her eyes slowly to him. "My relationships, Mr. Black, are 'business'."

"All of them?"

"All of them, as far as you are concerned."

"Well, at least my subtlety wasn't completely lost."

"Nor was it terribly easy to find amid the flattery you mixed in for good measure."

Orion sighed quietly, but then turned a small smile to her again. "Well, I hope Johnathan's test didn't provide him with too much satisfaction?"

Katlin considered her answer for a moment.

"I would suspect very little actually. Sometimes Johnathan over-steps his boundaries, and has to be reminded where they are. His 'test' proved nothing to him, and in the end it worked substantially against him."

"Meaning?"

"I merely pointed out to 'someone' that I had informed Johnathan that you were dangerous and questioned his wishing me to escort you alone. But that he had insisted on it."

"Wouldn't 'someone' have questioned 'why' he insisted?"

"I'm afraid he was long past caring about such 'trivial' matters." She replied. "His entertainment for the evening was gone and he was simply looking for who was to replace it."

Orion frowned slightly. "Well," He stated, "I'm sorry it had to be you that he chose to punish for my escape."

Katlin looked up at him suddenly.

"Oh, I wasn't punished for your escape." She corrected quickly. "I was punished for allowing an Auror to get the better of me." She took a small sip of her champagne as a smile crept across her lips. "Oh, no," She muttered past the rim of the glass. "I wasn't the one punished for your escape at all."

Orion stared back at her.

"Really?"

Katlin carefully sat the glass back on the table in front of her. "It was Johnathan's choices that allowed you to escape. He ignored my warnings and acted.....rashly. Therefore, punishment for your escape was laid on him. Not me."

"How unfortunate." Orion replied, the small smile on his lips offsetting any true concern.

The waiter suddenly appeared again, pulling the curtain back cautiously to announce his arrival. He quickly laid each plate on the table then turned to leave again. But before he got out of the room, Orion caught his arm, pulling him down until he was level with him.

"I would prefer that we weren't disturbed again." He informed the man.

The waiter quickly nodded as Orion released his arm, hastily vacating the room and snapping the curtain closed after him.

"My, but you indeed aren't very subtle, Mr. Black."

Orion looked up from his plate. 

"I prefer my privacy."

"I could give you some."

Orion smiled at her as he leaned on the table edge. "You have somewhere else pressing to be?"

Katlin carefully slipped a piece of meat into her mouth, pulling the fork free again with agonizing slowness. But finally she laid it back down as she picked up her napkin.

"Not tonight." She replied, gently pressing the napkin against her lips.

"I'd died a happy man if I were that napkin right now."

Katlin nearly choked as she attempted to stifle her laughter.

"If that was one of your better lines, it's a small wonder you're currently unattached, Orion."

"I don't get a lot of practice."

Katlin looked him over slowly.

"I find that hard to believe."

Orion smiled at her. "A compliment! I'm honored."

Katlin returned her attention to her plate. "So tell me. Why is such an attractive man so available?"

"You'll allow me the vanity of saying I suppose it's the territory he comes with and nothing else."

"Territory?"

"Most women don't understand engagements being cancelled and no reason being able to be given. Nor do they care for the limited conversation."

"Limited conversation?"

"Well, a large part of establishing a relationship is learning about the other person. But it isn't as though I can discuss in any great detail what I do, who I see, who my friends are. Things of that nature. So, you're basically left with going out with someone you never really ever get to know on any level that isn't fairly superficial."

"Oh." Katlin stated with a bit more understanding. "Then it must be the territory. Since I definitely can't see any other reasons."

"Other reasons?"

Katlin looked at him across the table.

"You're obviously a very rich man, Orion Black. You're attractive. You're single. And you're one of the most attentive lovers I've ever had. You should be every single woman's dream."

"Perhaps." Orion replied, cautiously tasting his entree.

Katlin watched with interest as he carefully chewed his way through one bite, a look of concentration on his face.

"Well?" She asked, barely suppressing a smile. "Does it meet approval from your 'oh so very well trained palate'?"

"Actually," Orion replied, "it slapped my very uncouth palate on the way down. It was just that insulted."

Katlin gave him a small smile.

"So," Orion asked, taking a sip from his glass, "might one asked you why your circumstances are so familiar?"

Katlin gave him a questioning look.

"You're obviously used to the finer things in life, your pose, you're graceful, you're a wonderful conversationalist, you're an exquisite lover, and I not even going to bother with trying to make some hopeless comment on how beautiful you are, because I'll just end up insulting you. So why is such an extremely extraordinary woman still single?"

"I suppose for many of the same reasons." Katlin answered after a few moments, thinking over a sip of champagne. "As do I suppose are they many of the same reasons you appeal to me so much."

"And my appeal would be....?"

Katlin looked up at him. "You know what there is to know, Orion." She replied. "If I say I have to go to a meeting, you're not plying me with questions about it. You know where I'm going and why. You know what I do, who I am, and who I serve. Much as I do with you. There's no.....questions, you see? It all very...."

"Available?"

"Convenient."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Not here. We're not normal people, Orion." She explained with a very honest sounding sigh in her voice. "We don't have anything that even remotely resembles a normal life. So we make things work as best we can. If a man takes me out, he's looking for something. Usually a relationship of some sort. But that isn't me, you see? I'm not looking for that because I can't have it. At some point it has to end." She said in a quiet voice. But she quickly shook it off as she turned back to him from staring at the plate before her. "But you're different. You are, in fact, perfect for me. There's no questions, no entanglements, no commitments, no problems."

"Except one." Orion pointed out.

"And I told you," she stated, "I'm not that 24/7. I'm not that now. The question is, Mr. Black, currently, what are you?"

Orion paused for a moment. "Questioning exactly why you're here?"

"Why I'm here?"

"You're not looking for a relationship obviously. So then 'what'?"

Katlin gave him a leering smile. "Why, fun and games."

Orion paused for a moment, then returned her smile, raising his glass slightly to her. The explanation suited him as well as any other. "Then here's to 'fun and games'."

Katlin returned his toast and slowly drained her entire glass as Orion watched with a small smile on his face.

"That's what I can appreciate." He stated as Katlin passed her glass over to him to refill. "A woman who knows how to drink fine champagne."

Katlin made no comment back to him aside from a small, tight smile as she again carefully wiped along the edge of her lips with her napkin.

Orion sighed loudly as he watched her, staring at the napkin again. "Lucky napkin." He said wistfully.

Katlin returned her attention to her plate.

"The napkin isn't so lucky." She replied, not looking up at him.

"Really?"

Abruptly the napkin slipped from the edge of the table where Katlin had laid it. Orion nearly leapt from his chair, catching the piece of cloth before it even hit the floor. Katlin gave him an appreciative smile as he handed it back to her.

"The napkin was only on my lips for a few seconds." She replied, her two violet eyes staring invitingly down at him. "I fully expect you to dedicate a good deal more time to the area."

Orion slowly rose and positioned himself behind her. Carefully he tilted her head back so that she was now staring up at him. "You will let me know if I disappoint you?"

"You can count on it."

Orion immediately seized her lips in a heated kiss.

Reaching up, Katlin wrapped her arms up around his neck, trapping him in the kiss, although it wasn't even remotely necessary. She moaned her approval into his mouth with a contented sigh as two hands ran slowly down her long, smooth arms, shoulders, and front. Reaching their destinations with at first a gentle caress, and then a less delicate squeeze and pinch.

Katlin squirmed in her chair as she brushed him away, pulling away from his kiss as she returned her attention to the plate before her.

"Honestly, Orion!" She stated in a hushed voice, that came out sounding more breathless then the dignified tone she tried to give it. "In a public restaurant!"

Orion leaned over her shoulder. "And why not?" He whispered in her ear before taking the delicate lobe between his teeth.

A sharp intake of breath rewarded him as Katlin leaned her head back ever so slightly.

"Because," she replied in the same breathless whisper, trying desperately to make her tone sound casual as Orion continued to tease her earlobe with his teeth, "whereas 'revanche' may be a dish best served cold, I assure you ---0--- is not."

Orion had covertly slipped his arms under her's from the back of the chair and allowed his hands to take up where they had left off.

"I'm sure we can heat it back up." A low, lustful voice breathed into her ear.

"My napkin might get jealous."

"I'll let it watch."

"What about the rest?" She asked, indicating the thin black curtain that was all that separated them from the rest of the restaurant. "I'm not nearly the exhibitionist that you appear to be, Mr. Black."

Orion pulled out his wand and quickly place a silencing charm on the curtain as he used his other arm, already around Katlin's waist to lift her from her chair and seat her instead on the edge of the table.

"I have no intention of putting on a public show." He stated, placing himself between those incredibly long, perfect legs.

A very seductive look stared up at him from under long eyelashes. "The public will be so disappointed."

Orion buried his face in her thick, silky auburn hair, a hand already caressing it's way up her outer thigh towards the hem of her dress. "You won't be."

Katlin pushed him back. "I already am."

Orion gave her a questioning look.

Katlin turned to the table behind her, then returned her gaze to the man before her, clicking her tongue at him a few times.

"Between the ---0---, Orion." She reprimanded him gently. "Really!"

Painfully tired of the delays, Orion shifted the table cloth out from under her and carefully levitated it, along with it's trappings, to a corner of the room.

Katlin watched the spectacle with a pleased smile. One she turned back to Orion when the mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"I'm going to make you drop that." She purred up at him with a promising smile.

But Orion had already turned his attention to the other task at hand. Only a small fraction of his attention focused on the table settings in the corner of the room. But a few minutes later a loud crash startled him as Katlin giggled underneath him.

"I told you." She stated as a self-satisfied breath of air escaped her lips.

Orion sighed as he pulled back from the two slender restraints currently holding him where he was.

"I apologize." He stated, directing his wand at the remains of their meal in the corner.

"It doesn't really matter." Katlin replied as Orion re-levitated the table cloth. "The meal was a nice touch," She added. "But it was hardly the point of the evening, now was it?"

Orion shrugged as he leaned down to kiss her again.

"Perhaps. But I still need to replace the table setting." He replied. "Mario may not let me come back if we leave things as they are."

Katlin slipped off the table with a slight snort of laughter. "Curtailing gossip is more like it." She replied, adjusting her dress as she seated herself back at the table. 

Later that evening, Orion found himself hurrying to keep pace with Katlin as she quickly led them down a sidewalk. He was walking with his hands stuffed deeply in the pockets of his coat while Katlin held her wrap tightly about her own body.

"It's not very far." She promised as they hurried along. "I just need to check a few things."

Orion looked forlornly back at where he had left his car parked on the side of the street. 

The street appeared perfectly empty behind them. But parked on one side several yards now behind them was his small roadster. Katlin had insisted he leave it there in case someone had seen them in it. And Orion had insisted on placing a concealment charm on it in case someone tried to steal it.

He glanced cautiously about them. The neighborhood was definitely questionable at best. Without the concealment charm, the best he could likely hope for on returning to his beloved roadster was a few discarded screws and a 'thank you' note.

He looked around him again as Katlin hurried them along. It hadn't taken much to get her to agree to return to the house with him. But he had never imagined, when she had mentioned she needed to stop by her apartment, that they would end up in such a place.

Fifteen minutes later they were standing outside a doorway in a run down apartment building. Paint was peeling off of walls that had holes where plaster had flaked off. The floor they walked on, though carpeted, was so thread-worn it barely qualified as any floor covering at all. And the general smell would get a grimace from most people on first introduction. Quite frankly, Orion had some ideas that the smell was what had peeled the majority of the paint off the walls to begin with. But he managed to keep his expression neutral as he looked over Katlin's shoulder as she fished through her purse.

"Lose something?"

"Just looking for the key." She replied.

"Can't you just.....you know....get in some other way?" He suggested covertly, not sure who else might be around.

Katlin turned to him. "You think I don't have this place protected?" She asked. "It may not be your high-class mansion, Mr. Black, but I assure it is just as well protected."

Finally finding the right key, Katlin opened the door's lock. As soon as the key slipped into the lock, Orion could hear several locks behind the door unlatching at once, as well as sense the magical barrier before them dissolving.

"Impressive." He noted of her 'security'.

"It suffices." Katlin replied, leading him into the apartment. 

Orion had expected to find himself stepping into a room that looked just as bad on the inside as it had on the outside. But the inside of the apartment, while not large, was very tastefully decorated.

Katlin quickly noted his appraising look about her apartment.

"Not what you expected?" She asked.

"To be perfectly honest, no." Orion followed her into the small kitchen. "I mean, no offense, Katlin, but I would think Voldemort would pay his Deatheater Elite a little better than this."

"Pay?" Katlin turned back to him. "We don't get paid, Orion. We are his followers, not his employees. We each are there because we have chosen to be. Because we believe in our cause and our ideals."

"What I meant," Orion re-stated, "was that I would have thought as one of his Elite, Voldemort could afford to accommodate you better than in a run down tenement building."

Katlin brushed past him back into the front room.

"He's offered." She replied.

"Really? Was this the best he could do then?"

Katlin turned back to him. 

"I turned him down." She replied. "Since my parents died I've always taken care of myself. I've never asked one person for any help. Now, I may not have much, but at least I know what I have is mine. I don't owe anyone for it."

"I see. So aside from being a Deatheater, what is it exactly you do?"

"My missions for the Elite keep me quite busy enough."

"Then how do you pay for....even this?"

"My parents left me a small inheritance. Spending it carefully, I can survive for some time."

Orion followed her back to a small room. Sitting there, perched on a small wooden table, he was surprised to see a computer, it's flashing lights blinking in the darkness. 

Katlin quickly took a seat in front of it and began working over the keyboard. In a few moments a series a screens flashed up on the monitor, each of which she looked over quickly before deleting it.

Within only a few minutes, she got up from the chair and turned back to him.

"That a computer!" He stated, trying to make his tone sound as surprised an awestruck as he could. The fact of the matter was, Orion was likely about as well acquainted with the muggle devices as muggles were. Part of his work in the department required knowing how to work one with some proficiency.

"They can be useful." Katlin replied as she brushed past him.

"You seem to work it very well." He observed, standing still in the doorway of the small room as he stared at the machine.

"Sometimes it's necessary, when dealing with things in the muggles world, to use their devices." Katlin replied. "But I've done what I needed to here, and we can go now." She said, nudging him slightly.

But Orion turned back to her with a leering smile.

"You know, it's a long walk back to the car," he stated, "it's already well hidden, and we are here." He carefully stroked his hand up under her hair and then back down her neck. "Why don't we just stay here?"

"Here?" Katlin asked in surprise. "You want to stay here tonight?"

"Why not?"

"Because I got the definite impression you would rather not."

Orion gave her a small smile. "Then you need to refine your senses, Love." He replied. "Because I care very little for where I'm at. It's who I'm with that interests me more. We met, after all, in an alleyway."

Katlin paused, studying the man before her. Something didn't feel right. But she slowly let her suspicions go. Being in her own home was a comfort to her and made her more relaxed. She knew the spells better and could feel them easier than at Orion's house. 

So with a pleased smile she reached down and took his hand.

"All right." she replied, leading him to the bedroom. "But I'm warning you, it's a small bed."

****

Q&A

nessie: You're responsible for that author's note, by the way. Another person making me stop and think about timelines and storylines and how they fit together.

It's very hard to place this year-wise. Off hand, I would say it's about a year and a half before Voldemort's fall. But as everyone has seen and been subjected to, that can always change at a moments notice.

Eva Phoenix Potter: Actually, PAR does not like bugs. It is the main reason I keep spiders in my home as pets. They are very efficient.

Glad you liked the Howler.

Sailor Sol: Trust me, poor Orion hasn't begun to suffer Katlin's anger yet.

Silverfox: Harry survived Avada Kedavra. And if a little baby could, surely others could. However, I'm curious as to what brought the point up? So far I haven't had anyone in my stories survive the killing curse.

Trust me. The reason is very good. And so far no one has hit on it. I'm just so proud of myself.

Does Charly suspect who the cute little owl is from? I can't really answer that right now. Too much story involvement here.

What's going to happen when Charly finally meets Orion's girlfriend? Don't miss chapter fourteen.

sweets: In Orion's defense, 'trust' is a big issue with him. As is it with Katlin. These are not two people who generally trust anyone. Least of all each other. It's going to take them a while to learn to trust each other, if they ever do.

Unfortunately, Orion is your typical male who hasn't had a relationship live out the weekend. The boy is just down right inexperienced in the field of a real relationship. Superficially, he's the best. But make it count? We have troubles there.

When does Family Relations roughly come out? (Roughly when PAR gets off her arse and starts working on it again.) Probably the end of this year. Yes, yes. I know how late that makes it from my original projected release date. But be warned, even that could change. Life circumstances changed the last date. Hopefully nothing will this time.

Cypress Gardens is currently being sought by two buyers. One is from Georgia who owns other theme parks and says if he buys the park, he will be adding 'thrill rides' to it. (Great. Just what we need on the lake. An amusement park.) And the other buyer is the State, who I hope does buy and preserve the park. Currently, all offers are on hold while the state pushes a lot of papers around about the selling of the property.

The job is going very well. I passed a large test last week by re-wiring a complete office for phones and it all came up and worked in the end. That was no small feat, and PAR was quite worried right to the end when we flipped the switch and everything came up.

I'm sorry you are still having trouble finding a job. I know right now it is very difficult in the job market. But keep watching the state job sight and usajobs.com. I never expected to find my job and just came across it completely by accident.

I wish you luck.

FairyTale: Ohhhhhhhh, and I do so look forward to your reviews.

But something to look forward to on Monday.

I am trying to check out your stories. I'll see what I can do this weekend.

Awwww! I'm one of your favorites?! PAR is most appreciative! Thank you!

I'm glad you like my characters interaction. I suppose I simply know them very well, and have very little trouble imagining how they would react or respond to things.

Charly and the owl was one of my better scenes. But it is indicative of Charly's whole character, there. He's a bit of a joker and has a very sharp sense of humor, which is balanced by Orion's rather dry one.

Oh, indeed, the pheromone cloud is shifting with the wind and Orion and Katlin have to start dealing with the situation they have gotten themselves into.

Not so much sparring matches as blinking contests. And never put it past Katlin to bring all her charms to the forefront to get what she wants. The woman knows what she's got and she knows how to use it.

There is definitely more Charly-Orion interaction coming. Especially when Charly gets his first sight of Orion and Katlin together. Keep in mind this isn't just the shock of finding out who Orion is seeing. Charly also has to deal with the knowledge that his partner lied to him. That's very serious between two Unspeakable partners.

Some of the chapters are insanely short (three pages or so) and I will give more than one on such occasions. But this one ran twelve pages, so that should make you happy.

UnrepentantReader: Doesn't she just! I love working with this character. She's just so direct about things sometimes.

That was probably one of the better lines of the whole chapter. What can I say? Sometimes God gifts me with good lines. Other times I have to work for them.

But thank you. Your review made my day. I had so many lovely ones this time. A treat for a chapter I wasn't very happy with when I wrote it. 

Skahducky: O.K.. Five chapters in, I have to ask. Dear, what's with the name? You don't just get a name like that by accident. There's got to be a story attached to that.

What exactly could Katlin be punished for? Currently? Well, she's seeing a top ranked Auror behind Voldemort's back and not taking advantage of it. She hasn't told him about the situation. She's lying to him about it. She used her status among the Deatheaters for her own personal use. And, having captured a Auror, she helped him escape. Should Voldemort find out about any of that, she would likely be killed. Favorite or not. What was she punished for this time around? That was explained in this chapter. And it was not because she helped him escape.

****

FAMILY LIFE

Chi: FANART?! FANART?! Ohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Goody! Feel free! I always wished someone would do some on one of my stories. I would illustrate a bit if I had the time. But it takes me forever to do a picture. But maybe someday.

Thank you for the kind words, Dear. I to print out many stories to take to bed and read into the wee hours. Beats a lot of the so-called professionally published stuff out there.

coconut-ice agent h/h: WFF? That's a new one for me, Dear.

Another favorites list! Go me!!!!!!! Yah!!!!! And you're very welcome, Dear.

Melissa: Oh, you have not been keeping up with the Q&A. Family Life is being sequeled, Dear. The story is titled Family Relations and is one of three parts to the story arc. It has been previewed at the end of several stories after the Q&A sections. Three chapters to be exact.

Was Sirius freed? That is answered in the sequel.

What about Ron and Hermione? Well, Ron shows up in the sequel. No Hermione yet.

How did the rest of the world react to Lord Voldemort's downfall? Probably much as they did the last time. Generally partying and public disorderliness.

Nightshade Beam: Yes, the site overloads are a huge irritation. But thank you for hanging in there, Dear. PAR appreciates her reviews. And I am very pleased you liked the story.

****

TRIED AND CONVICTED

Starlette: Ohhhh, a cheering section! 

I understand wanting to sit and read fanfictions all day, Dear. Believe me. But my life keeps interrupting my plans. Something about work and paying bills.

Keep up with the dedication to homework thing, Dear. Self-discipline is a good thing. As for Sirius being moved to Azkaban, yes that was a complete surprise to those trying to free him. Especially since they now have to race time to get to him before the Dementors.

Happy ending? Pffft! Again, you don't know me very well. Or maybe you do. We'll see.

Reviews are as of 06062003. Sorry if I missed you. Let me know.


	6. Chapter Six And Then I Pressed This But...

A/N: Hmmmmmmm, I'm getting the impression I'm losing readers on this one.

Also, for those of you still reading (and PAR thanks you), there was an error in the last chapter. You may have noticed it, maybe not. I'm not going to call attention to it. But it is being corrected and a revised chapter is going up as soon as Fanfiction.net lets me upload stories again.

And a happy Fathers Day to all you dad's out there. Especially to my own father. Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Oh, yeah. Short chapters, folks, so you get three of them this time.

That's all.

And as always.....,

Enjoy.

Chapter Six: And Then I Pressed This Button Over Here And The Screen Went Blank

Katlin woke up and, opening her eyes, happily realized it was still dark. Five hours or five minutes to sunrise, she didn't care. All she was interested in was she got to sleep a little bit more. Stretching out under the covers, she wondered if Orion had to leave early.

She rolled over, intent on rapping an arm over his chest.

But her arm met with an empty space in the bed.

Katlin paused, wondering where he had gone. Rolling back over to her side of the bed, she considered maybe it was just five minutes to sunrise and he had left without waking her. 

But the clock read one in the morning.

Katlin lay in the darkness and listened. A sound had caught her attention in the past few seconds. She listened intently to it. 

A soft tapping echoed through the small apartment. 

With a deep frown, Katlin got up and pulled on a robe as she quietly slipped out of the room and followed the sound.

Not to her amazement at all, the sound led her to the small room where she kept her computer. Sitting before it was Orion, quickly tapping on the keys, then pausing as he moved the mouse around on it's pad next to him.

She stood for several seconds in the doorway, her frown deepening as she watched him. Finally she walked up behind him.

"I thought you didn't know how to work a computer?" She asked in a low, measured voice.

"Well, it didn't seem terribly hard watching you." Orion replied, giving no indication of surprise and never once turning around to her. "But I can't seem to get the stupid muggle machine to do anything."

Katlin looked over his shoulder, surprised to find the screen before her showing a dialogue box for her computer's properties.

"Well, you seem to have done very well so far." She replied dryly. "You've managed to get into my data base."

"This?" Orion stated, pointing at the screen. "That wasn't so hard. I sat down and pressed one of the buttons and the screen lit up. Than I just started hitting buttons." He added. "Like this." Orion demonstrated by hitting one of the keys innocently. Instantly the computer screen went blank. "Uh, oh." He stated dismally. 

Katlin sighed as she reached out and turned the computer off. "I think that's enough for one night, Mr. Black." She stated formally.

Orion got up from the chair looking very apologetic. "Look, I'm sorry if I damaged it in some way, Katlin. It's just that I've never seen one before up close and...."

"And yet you managed to break into my database and fish about?" She replied, staring at him in the darkness of the small room.

"Database?" Orion asked innocently, turning back to the computer. "Look, Katlin, I don't know what I did. I pressed a button and the screen lit up. And I didn't think there was any harm in......sort of playing with it. I'm sorry if I did something wrong."

Katlin sighed as she looked back at the computer. She racked her memory over the few minutes before they went to bed. She honestly couldn't recall if she had turned the computer off or not. So it was entirely possible her lover was telling the truth. And since that was the scenario she liked the best at the moment, she decided to go with it.

Giving Orion a soft smile, she shook her head. 

"There's no damage done, I'm sure." She replied, holding her hand out to him. "Now come on. Let's go back to bed."

Orion sighed quietly as he got up from the computer. He hadn't gotten as much as he had wanted, but he had gotten enough to accomplish what he needed. And the alternative to his evening wasn't all that disappointing.

That morning Orion was up before the sun, explaining he had an early meeting and still had to get to the house to change cloths before going in.

Katlin watched with a small smile as Orion pulled on his shirt, now devoid of any but a few buttons. Fair compensation, she felt, for her dress, which now had a new rip in it. One that started in the hem of the front and went clear to the neck line.

All in all, it had been a most enjoyable evening.

"So," he asked as he knelt across the bed to her, "was that sorry enough?"

Katlin gave him the same small smile. "It has promise."

"Well," Orion added, fingering the small diamond pendent around her neck, "perhaps I can add to it's validity."

Taking the pendent in his fingers, Orion pulled his wand out and pointed it at the little diamond in the center. Speaking a brief spell, he gently kissed it as he got up, meeting Katlin's confused stare.

"That's for the wards at the house." He explained. "As long as you're wearing that pendent, or at least have the diamond with you, you can enter and leave the house whenever you want without any danger."

Katlin stared back at him with a slight touch of astonishment in her expression. Orion met it with a mischievous wink.

"Now you can surprise me." He offered.

"That's very....kind of you." Katlin replied, fingering the small pendent with a pensive look as she watched him search out the rest of his cloths. "But aren't you afraid I'll give it to someone else and let them surprise you instead?"

Orion leaned over the bed. "No." He answered bluntly, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I have to go. I'll see you later, Love. All right?"

"All right." Katlin muttered in reply as she watched him disappear out the door of the bedroom. A few seconds later she heard the front door close. 

Still sitting in the bed, she held the small pendant up in front of her.

He had given her a way into his house. Now, despite all the wards, charms, and spells he had placed around it to protect himself, she could come and go as she liked. Whenever she liked.

Katlin paused at the thought, then quickly jumped out of bed. She got dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and finally stood in the center of her small bedroom. Clasping the pendant tightly in her hands, she visualized where she wanted to be. She hadn't seen it more than once, but she could picture it to the smallest detail.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself standing in the foyer of Orion's large estate home.

He had really done it! Katlin had been sure it was all some sort of joke, and when she tried it she would end up apparating to the middle of a junkyard or so. But as she stood looking about the foyer as the morning light filtered in through the two large glass windows on either side of the door, a small smile drifted across her face. She was already thinking up some interesting way to surprise him next time when she apparated back to her own home.

Just as the figure in the foyer disappeared, the large wooden door on the opposite side of the foyer burst open with a bang. The head and neck of a large, black dragon still had to work to squeeze itself through the opening as it gave an irritated roar which served to shake much of the surrounding structure of the house. But when it managed to make its way into the open foyer, it quickly glanced about, looking this way and that and sniffing the air. Finally, realizing it was very much alone, the dragon gave an irritated huff, causing two billows of smoke to blow from its nostrils. With one last disappointed look, it pulled its head back through the doorway. The cellar door slamming shut after it.

****

Q&A

UnrepentantReader: Actually, I found that a somewhat profound comment, Un. 'A brittle carefulness combined with all the hormones'. Like Werepup, I wouldn't bet against you writing on heck of a good short story. You certainly have an interesting, if not refreshingly new way, of describing things. Something so very badly missing in today's writing.

I thought this chapter was full of good lines. They tend to crop up when I get my characters alone for a little one on one. Since dialogue, at that point, is mostly all I have to deal with (well, maybe not all with Orion and Katlin), I try to make it as interesting and entertaining as possible.

Thanks for the reviews.

Werepup: What's on my mind? Oh, Dear, you don't ever want to go there. Especially if large, dark, empty spaces frighten you.

Actually, this story is Canon if you look at it timeline-wise. But to date, I don't think a single Canon character is mentioned in this story. Sirius might be once, but that is about it. Past that, I purposely tried to keep Canon characters out of the story. I wanted to see how a completely OC story would do.

But if you liked the two chapters, you'll love this posting.

Thanks for the reviews.

****

FAMILY LIFE

Erika: I'm so glad you're liking the story, Dear. It is one of my better efforts.

And thank you for liking the disclaimer. I put some serious time into that. But after reading all the standard ones, I found them a bit boring and fairly repetitious. I just wanted to do something different.

And I'm pleased you liked Sirius. I tried to make him actually as Canon as I could. Which, with as little as he has actually been in the stories, wasn't easy.

Again, glad you are enjoying the story, Dear. Thanks for the reviews.

All reviews are as of 06152003. If I missed you, let me know. 


	7. Chapter Five Revised

****

A/N:

This was added in at the last minute, folks. You might have noticed I took a short vacation there for two weeks. It wasn't intentional. I am trying to post at least once a week. But, sadly, PAR had a death in the extended family. The grandmother of my sister-in-law died suddenly from complications of a surgery. She was 84 and lived a very full life. The family was very close and the death was very hard on them. So, if you could keep them in your prayers, as well as Lyda Padgett, I would appreciate it.

And now the rest.

Just a quick little chat, folks, then I'll let you get on with things.

You remember a few chapters back (what was it, three?) I said that in Family Relations Orion had kids, you just wouldn't be seeing them? Well, here's the hard part of writing four stories at the same time. You make mistakes.....over and over and over....and over. So, just to make sure you're really confused, allow me to make the following amendment to the story line. 

No, Orion has NO children in Family Relations. I looked at my story line, compared it to my time line, and things just didn't work out very well. So poor Orion will just have to wait a little while longer for fatherhood to arrive on his doorstep.

The author seriously apologizes for any and all non-intentional harm done to the readership by constant shifts in storylines. 

Oh, and by the way, to all of you who think you have Enemies figured out, allow me to lob the ball back in your court. No, Katlin is not the mother.

Also, author made a bad error in one of the Q&A answers last time where I told FairyTale that 'Orion likely hasn't had a relationship in his life that didn't last over a week'. When I re-read that, I realized I had said the exact opposite of what I meant. It should have read 'Orion hasn't had a relationship in his life that lasted over a week'.

And just to prove you how much of a sense of humor God really has, allow me to offer the following. My ex-boss (some of you might remember this, as that I think I mentioned it before) applied for a job where I now work. Happy, happy. Joy, joy. I really liked my old boss. Well, being overall the most qualified candidate (the man has 21 years experience in one location), he got offered the job, AND TURNED IT DOWN! I could have killed him. I called a friend of mine and cussed up one end and down the other about him. I had done everything to help get him that job. Picked up and delivered resumes, and some things I can't discuss. But I did a lot. And he turns it down. Humph!

Well, as things would have it, my old workmate, who I really liked working with, also applied for this job. As well as two others he didn't get. With that average against him, I didn't think he stood a chance. 

Guess who got the job?

So folks, God works in mysterious ways. And other times, he just wants to prove to you you really don't know what he's up to!

And as always.....,

Enjoy.

Chapter Five: Well, You Didn't Kill Me, So I Must Be Making Progress

The very next night Orion sat in a small, secluded room of an even more secluded restaurant. He had sent Katlin a owl that morning asking her to meet with him that night at the restaurant. The owl hadn't returned by the time he was getting ready to leave and he had taken that as a good sign.

But as five minutes became ten became fifteen, Orion began to wonder if he was just in for another long, lonely night. 

But with head resting on folded hands, a small smile suddenly crossed his face. Without looking up, he listen to the sounds around him. In a slow, but steady wave, the restaurant began to fall silent in the back ground. Like a silencing spell passing through the crowd, Orion listened to the din of voices cut short, then slowly start again, moving through the crowd toward the alcove that his table sat sequestered in.

He followed the sound carefully. When it came close enough to him, he slowly started to get to his feet as he turned around. But half way up, he stopped, his eyes resting on the figure before him.

Dressed in a startlingly short but impossibly tasteful black dress, was Katlin Griss. Perched majestically on her arm was a large, black owl, who quickly hopped from her arm to his master's shoulder. 

Her long, dark auburn hair was pulled up in a manner that perfectly accented her high cheekbones and softly curved jaw line. Around her neck, laying in just the right position to highlight the whole ensemble, was the small diamond pendent.

Katlin gave her date a small, well-tempered smile as she walked past him to her seat. Orion barely made it in time to pull the chair out for her.

"Well," she said casually as a waiter rushed over to hand her a menu, lingering just long enough admiring the view to earn him a warning stare from Orion, then leaving quickly as he snapped the curtain to the room shut, "up until you turned around, you didn't seem the least bit surprised that I was here."

Orion gave her a pleasantly happy smile. "Because up until that point, your arrival was well announced."

"Really?" Katlin looked interested. "In what manner?"

"I followed every step you took by how quiet everyone got when you walked past. My bet would be mostly the male population of the restaurant, followed rather quickly by the irritated silence of their own dinner companions as the former stared after you."

"How very perceptive." Katlin stated, watching as the black owl stepped off of Orion's shoulder and onto the chair behind him. "So, what's his name?"

Orion turned briefly to the bird behind him. "Oh, him? This is Rupert."

Katlin gave a sudden snort of laughter. "You're joking!" She gasped. "You named a beautiful, majestic animal like that....'Rupert'?"

"Trust me, if I hadn't given him some sort of name like that, he'd be impossible to deal with. Takes a bit of the wind out of his sails, if you know what I mean."

Katlin gave the bird a sympathetic look. "Poor Rupert." She cooed at him. "Giving you such a name."

The owl paused, then took a leap into the air, gliding gracefully across the table to Katlin's chair, where he perched himself comfortably. Turning around, he shook his feathers indignantly at the person across the table.

"Oh, that's lovely." Orion lamented. "This is just what I'm talking about." He stated, gesturing to the owl. "He's got you pegged now and he'll play you for sympathy all night."

Katlin reached behind her and gave the bird an affectionate scratching on its head before turning her curious violet eyes slowly back to Orion.

"So," she asked in a low purr, "what was so important about tonight that you wanted to see me?"

"Life was losing meaning for me?"

Katlin gave him a sideways sort of stare. "Oh, honestly. Could you try at least to be a little original?"

Orion's face softened into a smile. "You look very lovely tonight."

"A pretty little Deatheater?"

"A very beautiful woman." Orion replied. "Who I am sure has captured the attention of every man in this restaurant. And who I am very pleased chose to sit with me."

"You were who I was meeting with. Where else was I suppose to sit?"

"You could have chosen not to come."

"I could have. But then I would never have found out how very sorry you can be."

Orion smiled slightly at her as a nervous waiter carefully slid the curtain back.

"Are you ordering then, Sir?" the young man asked cautiously.

Orion never took his eyes off Katlin. "A bottle of champagne." He replied. "And tell Mario I want it from his private stock. Not that watered down grape juice he serves the rest of his customers. And then I want the chef to cook this beautiful lady whatever she wants. I couldn't care if its on the menu or not."

Katlin gave Orion a small smile as she looked over the menu.

"There's no need to be so particular, Orion." She said softly. "I'm sure such a fine restaurant will have something to my liking."

Katlin briefly glanced over the menu, then turned to the waiter. She quickly addressed him in perfect French, asking a question about an item on the menu. The young man immediately brightened at the question and answered his guest in kind.

Katlin smiled at him, and after a short conversation, gave him her order. The man bowed to her with a few more words and turned to Orion. 

"And you, Sir?" He asked.

Orion hadn't even looked at the menu, his gaze still resting happily on his dinner companion. 

"I'm sure whatever the lady is having will be fine."

The man left quickly with a slight bow.

"So," Orion asked, "what am I having?"

"You are having Entrecote Avec Riz. A very lovely cut of steak, removed from the bone, cut in strips, and covered in a light wine sauce, served over rice. You will love it."

"I'm sure I will."

"Are you going to be this accommodating all evening?" Katlin frowned.

"Too agreeable?"

"'Boring' is a better word."

"I can be a bit more disagreeable if you like."

"I would prefer you just be yourself. Or at least be the man I had dinner with in Austria. He wasn't so bad."

Orion gave her a small smile. "Really?"

Katlin favored him by returning a small portion of the smile. "Really."

"Just so I know," he ask, "have I been forgiven then for my 'childish act'?"

The smile just barely disappeared. "You're being given the opportunity to show me how sorry you can be." She replied formally.

"Then I'll do my best."

Carefully unfolding her napkin, Katlin settled it in her lap before turning back to him.

"You seem to know this place fairly well." She said conversationally.

"The owner is an old friend." Orion replied. "I come here when I want....privacy. Mario guarantees that for me."

Katlin made a small sound as she looked about the small room they were in.

"This looks very......"

"Romantic?" Orion ventured hopefully.

"Expensive." Katlin stated, turning back to him.

Orion shrugged, but said nothing.

The waiter suddenly reappeared carrying a bottle of champagne. As soon as he had his customer's approval of the selection, he quickly set about opening the bottle and filling the two glasses on the table.

"But," she added, picking up her glass and carefully rolling the pale amber liquid about in it, "I suppose for a man who lives in a mansion, this is quite a common situation for him."

"Common?"

"Having a private dining room for himself and his guest."

"Hardly," Orion replied as the waiter quickly slipped back out through the curtain, "I'm usually here alone."

Katlin raised a well-lined eyebrow. "Alone?" She asked. "Really, Mr. Black. Where are all the pretty little things who are trying snare the eligible bachelor?"

Orion picked up his own glass as he leaned back in his chair, giving his dinner companion a mischievous smile.

"Really, Katlin." He stated. "Hardly subtle for a woman of your persuasion."

Katlin raised an eyebrow at him again.

"If you want to know about me, just ask. And as for those last two references, 'yes, I am very rich', and 'no, I am not currently seeing anyone'."

Katlin paused, but then shrugged slightly as she took a sip from her glass.

"I'm just making conversation." She answered in a pleasant but bored fashion.

Orion placed his elbows on the table as he leaned towards her. "Fine. My turn then. Who's Johnathan?"

Katlin looked up over the rim of her glass. A small hesitation showed in her movements as she slowly placed it back on the table.

"Why would you want to know about Johnathan?"

"Just making conversation." He replied with a small smile.

"Well, it'll be a short subject. Johnathan is.....what I am." She replied carefully. It was always safer in public places, no matter how secluded, not to say the word 'Deatheater'. 

"An Elite?" Orion questioned.

Katlin nodded.

"So, why was he testing you back in the lair?"

"Who said he was testing me?"

"You did. I asked why you were being tested by 'someone'. You said the test wasn't his. That left one other person."

Katlin stared back at him across the table, a small smile creeping across her lips as she noted his exclusion of using Voldemort's name. Like the word 'Deatheater', it was one best not used in public.

"So, why was he so interested in testing you? Fail the last one?"

Katlin's stare shifted almost immediately to a very cold look. She paused for a moment, then abruptly got up from the table, throwing her napkin down on it as she headed for the curtain.

But Orion jumped up from his own chair and blocked her path.

"All right." He stated quickly, holding his hands up in front of him. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for."

"And rude!" Katlin snapped at him.

"And very rude." Orion agreed quickly. "I apologize."

Katlin considered the apology, then slowly turned around and went back to her seat.

Orion quickly held her chair back out for her as she slowly seated herself again. As she carefully laid the napkin back in her lap, he leaned around the side and lightly touched his lips to her cheek.

Katlin watched him walked back around the table and take his own seat again.

"What was that for?" She asked.

"For staying." Orion replied with a pleased smile. "Despite my very crude attempt to 'go fishing'. I suppose I'm not as subtle as you are."

Katlin thought over his statement for a moment.

"Ahhhh, I see." She replied finally, picking up her glass again. She stared at the small bubbles forming about the rim for a few moments before turning her eyes slowly to him. "My relationships, Mr. Black, are 'business'."

"All of them?"

"All of them, as far as you are concerned."

"Well, at least my subtlety wasn't completely lost."

"Nor was it terribly easy to find amid the flattery you mixed in for good measure."

Orion sighed quietly, but then turned a small smile to her again. "Well, I hope Johnathan's test didn't provide him with too much satisfaction?"

Katlin considered her answer for a moment.

"I would suspect very little actually. Sometimes Johnathan over-steps his boundaries, and has to be reminded where they are. His 'test' proved nothing to him, and in the end it worked substantially against him."

"Meaning?"

"I merely pointed out to 'someone' that I had informed Johnathan that you were dangerous and questioned his wishing me to escort you alone. But that he had insisted on it."

"Wouldn't 'someone' have questioned 'why' he insisted?"

"I'm afraid he was long past caring about such 'trivial' matters." She replied. "His entertainment for the evening was gone and he was simply looking for who was to replace it."

Orion frowned slightly. "Well," He stated, "I'm sorry it had to be you that he chose to punish for my escape."

Katlin looked up at him suddenly.

"Oh, I wasn't punished for your escape." She corrected quickly. "I was punished for allowing an Auror to get the better of me." She took a small sip of her champagne as a smile crept across her lips. "Oh, no," She muttered past the rim of the glass. "I wasn't the one punished for your escape at all."

Orion stared back at her.

"Really?"

Katlin carefully sat the glass back on the table in front of her. "It was Johnathan's choices that allowed you to escape. He ignored my warnings and acted.....rashly. Therefore, punishment for your escape was laid on him. Not me."

"How unfortunate." Orion replied, the small smile on his lips offsetting any true concern.

The waiter suddenly appeared again, pulling the curtain back cautiously to announce his arrival. He quickly laid each plate on the table then turned to leave again. But before he got out of the room, Orion caught his arm, pulling him down until he was level with him.

"I would prefer that we weren't disturbed again." He informed the man.

The waiter quickly nodded as Orion released his arm, hastily vacating the room and snapping the curtain closed after him.

"My, but you indeed aren't very subtle, Mr. Black."

Orion looked up from his plate. 

"I prefer my privacy."

"I could give you some."

Orion smiled at her as he leaned on the table edge. "You have somewhere else pressing to be?"

Katlin carefully slipped a piece of meat into her mouth, pulling the fork free again with agonizing slowness. But finally she laid it back down as she picked up her napkin.

"Not tonight." She replied, gently pressing the napkin against her lips.

"I'd died a happy man if I were that napkin right now."

Katlin nearly choked as she attempted to stifle her laughter.

"If that was one of your better lines, it's a small wonder you're currently unattached, Orion."

"I don't get a lot of practice."

Katlin looked him over slowly.

"I find that hard to believe."

Orion smiled at her. "A compliment! I'm honored."

Katlin returned her attention to her plate. "So tell me. Why is such an attractive man so available?"

"You'll allow me the vanity of saying I suppose it's the territory he comes with and nothing else."

"Territory?"

"Most women don't understand engagements being cancelled and no reason being able to be given. Nor do they care for the limited conversation."

"Limited conversation?"

"Well, a large part of establishing a relationship is learning about the other person. But it isn't as though I can discuss in any great detail what I do, who I see, who my friends are. Things of that nature. So, you're basically left with going out with someone you never really ever get to know on any level that isn't fairly superficial."

"Oh." Katlin stated with a bit more understanding. "Then it must be the territory. Since I definitely can't see any other reasons."

"Other reasons?"

Katlin looked at him across the table.

"You're obviously a very rich man, Orion Black. You're attractive. You're single. And you're one of the most attentive lovers I've ever had. You should be every single woman's dream."

"Perhaps." Orion replied, cautiously tasting his entree.

Katlin watched with interest as he carefully chewed his way through one bite, a look of concentration on his face.

"Well?" She asked, barely suppressing a smile. "Does it meet approval from your 'oh so very well trained palate'?"

"Actually," Orion replied, "it slapped my very uncouth palate on the way down. It was just that insulted."

Katlin gave him a small smile.

"So," Orion asked, taking a sip from his glass, "might one asked you why your circumstances are so familiar?"

Katlin gave him a questioning look.

"You're obviously used to the finer things in life, your pose, you're graceful, you're a wonderful conversationalist, you're an exquisite lover, and I not even going to bother with trying to make some hopeless comment on how beautiful you are, because I'll just end up insulting you. So why is such an extremely extraordinary woman still single?"

"I suppose for many of the same reasons." Katlin answered after a few moments, thinking over a sip of champagne. "As do I suppose are they many of the same reasons you appeal to me so much."

"And my appeal would be....?"

Katlin looked up at him. "You know what there is to know, Orion." She replied. "If I say I have to go to a meeting, you're not plying me with questions about it. You know where I'm going and why. You know what I do, who I am, and who I serve. Much as I do with you. There's no.....questions, you see? It all very...."

"Available?"

"Convenient."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Not here. We're not normal people, Orion." She explained with a very honest sounding sigh in her voice. "We don't have anything that even remotely resembles a normal life. So we make things work as best we can. If a man takes me out, he's looking for something. Usually a relationship of some sort. But that isn't me, you see? I'm not looking for that because I can't have it. At some point it has to end." She said in a quiet voice. But she quickly shook it off as she turned back to him from staring at the plate before her. "But you're different. You are, in fact, perfect for me. There's no questions, no entanglements, no commitments, no problems."

"Except one." Orion pointed out.

"And I told you," she stated, "I'm not that 24/7. I'm not that now. The question is, Mr. Black, currently, what are you?"

Orion paused for a moment. "Questioning exactly why you're here?"

"Why I'm here?"

"You're not looking for a relationship obviously. So then 'what'?"

Katlin gave him a leering smile. "Why, fun and games."

Orion paused for a moment, then returned her smile, raising his glass slightly to her. The explanation suited him as well as any other. "Then here's to 'fun and games'."

Katlin returned his toast and slowly drained her entire glass as Orion watched with a small smile on his face.

"That's what I can appreciate." He stated as Katlin passed her glass over to him to refill. "A woman who knows how to drink fine champagne."

Katlin made no comment back to him aside from a small, tight smile as she again carefully wiped along the edge of her lips with her napkin.

Orion sighed loudly as he watched her, staring at the napkin again. "Lucky napkin." He said wistfully.

Katlin returned her attention to her plate.

"The napkin isn't so lucky." She replied, not looking up at him.

"Really?"

Abruptly the napkin slipped from the edge of the table where Katlin had laid it. Orion nearly leapt from his chair, catching the piece of cloth before it even hit the floor. Katlin gave him an appreciative smile as he handed it back to her.

"The napkin was only on my lips for a few seconds." She replied, her two violet eyes staring invitingly down at him. "I fully expect you to dedicate a good deal more time to the area."

Orion slowly rose and positioned himself behind her. Carefully he tilted her head back so that she was now staring up at him. "You will let me know if I disappoint you?"

"You can count on it."

Orion immediately seized her lips in a heated kiss.

Reaching up, Katlin wrapped her arms up around his neck, trapping him in the kiss, although it wasn't even remotely necessary. She moaned her approval into his mouth with a contented sigh as two hands ran slowly down her long, smooth arms, shoulders, and front. Reaching their destinations with at first a gentle caress, and then a less delicate squeeze and pinch.

Katlin squirmed in her chair as she brushed him away, pulling away from his kiss as she returned her attention to the plate before her.

"Honestly, Orion!" She stated in a hushed voice, that came out sounding more breathless then the dignified tone she tried to give it. "In a public restaurant!"

Orion leaned over her shoulder. "And why not?" He whispered in her ear before taking the delicate lobe between his teeth.

A sharp intake of breath rewarded him as Katlin leaned her head back ever so slightly.

"Because," she replied in the same breathless whisper, trying desperately to make her tone sound casual as Orion continued to tease her earlobe with his teeth, "whereas 'revanche' may be a dish best served cold, I assure you, Entrecote Avec Riz, is not."

Orion had covertly slipped his arms under her's from the back of the chair and allowed his hands to take up where they had left off.

"I'm sure we can heat it back up." A low, lustful voice breathed into her ear.

"My napkin might get jealous."

"I'll let it watch."

"What about the rest?" She asked, indicating the thin black curtain that was all that separated them from the rest of the restaurant. "I'm not nearly the exhibitionist that you appear to be, Mr. Black."

Orion pulled out his wand and quickly place a silencing charm on the curtain as he used his other arm, already around Katlin's waist to lift her from her chair and seat her instead on the edge of the table.

"I have no intention of putting on a public show." He stated, placing himself between those incredibly long, perfect legs.

A very seductive look stared up at him from under long eyelashes. "The public will be so disappointed."

Orion buried his face in her thick, silky auburn hair, a hand already caressing it's way up her outer thigh towards the hem of her dress. "You won't be."

Katlin pushed him back. "I already am."

Orion gave her a questioning look.

Katlin turned to the table behind her, then returned her gaze to the man before her, clicking her tongue at him a few times.

"Between the Entrecote Avec Riz, Orion." She reprimanded him gently. "Really!"

Painfully tired of the delays, Orion shifted the table cloth out from under her and carefully levitated it, along with it's trappings, to a corner of the room.

Katlin watched the spectacle with a pleased smile. One she turned back to Orion when the mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"I'm going to make you drop that." She purred up at him with a promising smile.

But Orion had already turned his attention to the other task at hand. Only a small fraction of his attention focused on the table settings in the corner of the room. But a few minutes later a loud crash startled him as Katlin giggled underneath him.

"I told you." She stated as a self-satisfied breath of air escaped her lips.

Orion sighed as he pulled back from the two slender restraints currently holding him where he was.

"I apologize." He stated, directing his wand at the remains of their meal in the corner.

"It doesn't really matter." Katlin replied as Orion re-levitated the table cloth. "The meal was a nice touch," She added. "But it was hardly the point of the evening, now was it?"

Orion shrugged as he leaned down to kiss her again.

"Perhaps. But I still need to replace the table setting." He replied. "Mario may not let me come back if we leave things as they are."

Katlin slipped off the table with a slight snort of laughter. "Curtailing gossip is more like it." She replied, adjusting her dress as she seated herself back at the table. 

Later that evening, Orion found himself hurrying to keep pace with Katlin as she quickly led them down a sidewalk. He was walking with his hands stuffed deeply in the pockets of his coat while Katlin held her wrap tightly about her own body.

"It's not very far." She promised as they hurried along. "I just need to check a few things."

Orion looked forlornly back at where he had left his car parked on the side of the street. 

The street appeared perfectly empty behind them. But parked on one side several yards now behind them was his small roadster. Katlin had insisted he leave it there in case someone had seen them in it. And Orion had insisted on placing a concealment charm on it in case someone tried to steal it.

He glanced cautiously about them. The neighborhood was definitely questionable at best. Without the concealment charm, the best he could likely hope for on returning to his beloved roadster was a few discarded screws and a 'thank you' note.

He looked around him again as Katlin hurried them along. It hadn't taken much to get her to agree to return to the house with him. But he had never imagined, when she had mentioned she needed to stop by her apartment, that they would end up in such a place.

Fifteen minutes later they were standing outside a doorway in a run down apartment building. Paint was peeling off of walls that had holes where plaster had flaked off. The floor they walked on, though carpeted, was so thread-worn it barely qualified as any floor covering at all. And the general smell would get a grimace from most people on first introduction. Quite frankly, Orion had some ideas that the smell was what had peeled the majority of the paint off the walls to begin with. But he managed to keep his expression neutral as he looked over Katlin's shoulder as she fished through her purse.

"Lose something?"

"Just looking for the key." She replied.

"Can't you just.....you know....get in some other way?" He suggested covertly, not sure who else might be around.

Katlin turned to him. "You think I don't have this place protected?" She asked. "It may not be your high-class mansion, Mr. Black, but I assure it is just as well protected."

Finally finding the right key, Katlin opened the door's lock. As soon as the key slipped into the lock, Orion could hear several locks behind the door unlatching at once, as well as sense the magical barrier before them dissolving.

"Impressive." He noted of her 'security'.

"It suffices." Katlin replied, leading him into the apartment. 

Orion had expected to find himself stepping into a room that looked just as bad on the inside as it had on the outside. But the inside of the apartment, while not large, was very tastefully decorated.

Katlin quickly noted his appraising look about her apartment.

"Not what you expected?" She asked.

"To be perfectly honest, no." Orion followed her into the small kitchen. "I mean, no offense, Katlin, but I would think Voldemort would pay his Deatheater Elite a little better than this."

"Pay?" Katlin turned back to him. "We don't get paid, Orion. We are his followers, not his employees. We each are there because we have chosen to be. Because we believe in our cause and our ideals."

"What I meant," Orion re-stated, "was that I would have thought as one of his Elite, Voldemort could afford to accommodate you better than in a run down tenement building."

Katlin brushed past him back into the front room.

"He's offered." She replied.

"Really? Was this the best he could do then?"

Katlin turned back to him. 

"I turned him down." She replied. "Since my parents died I've always taken care of myself. I've never asked one person for any help. Now, I may not have much, but at least I know what I have is mine. I don't owe anyone for it."

"I see. So aside from being a Deatheater, what is it exactly you do?"

"My missions for the Elite keep me quite busy enough."

"Then how do you pay for....even this?"

"My parents left me a small inheritance. Spending it carefully, I can survive for some time."

Orion followed her back to a small room. Sitting there, perched on a small wooden table, he was surprised to see a computer, it's flashing lights blinking in the darkness. 

Katlin quickly took a seat in front of it and began working over the keyboard. In a few moments a series a screens flashed up on the monitor, each of which she looked over quickly before deleting it.

Within only a few minutes, she got up from the chair and turned back to him.

"That a computer!" He stated, trying to make his tone sound as surprised an awestruck as he could. The fact of the matter was, Orion was likely about as well acquainted with the muggle devices as muggles were. Part of his work in the department required knowing how to work one with some proficiency.

"They can be useful." Katlin replied as she brushed past him.

"You seem to work it very well." He observed, standing still in the doorway of the small room as he stared at the machine.

"Sometimes it's necessary, when dealing with things in the muggles world, to use their devices." Katlin replied. "But I've done what I needed to here, and we can go now." She said, nudging him slightly.

But Orion turned back to her with a leering smile.

"You know, it's a long walk back to the car," he stated, "it's already well hidden, and we are here." He carefully stroked his hand up under her hair and then back down her neck. "Why don't we just stay here?"

"Here?" Katlin asked in surprise. "You want to stay here tonight?"

"Why not?"

"Because I got the definite impression you would rather not."

Orion gave her a small smile. "Then you need to refine your senses, Love." He replied. "Because I care very little for where I'm at. It's who I'm with that interests me more. We met, after all, in an alleyway."

Katlin paused, studying the man before her. Something didn't feel right. But she slowly let her suspicions go. Being in her own home was a comfort to her and made her more relaxed. She knew the spells better and could feel them easier than at Orion's house. 

So with a pleased smile she reached down and took his hand.

"All right." she replied, leading him to the bedroom. "But I'm warning you, it's a small bed."

****

Q&A

nessie: You're responsible for that author's note, by the way. Another person making me stop and think about timelines and storylines and how they fit together.

It's very hard to place this year-wise. Off hand, I would say it's about a year and a half before Voldemort's fall. But as everyone has seen and been subjected to, that can always change at a moments notice.

Eva Phoenix Potter: Actually, PAR does not like bugs. It is the main reason I keep spiders in my home as pets. They are very efficient.

Glad you liked the Howler.

Sailor Sol: Trust me, poor Orion hasn't begun to suffer Katlin's anger yet.

Silverfox: Harry survived Avada Kedavra. And if a little baby could, surely others could. However, I'm curious as to what brought the point up? So far I haven't had anyone in my stories survive the killing curse.

Trust me. The reason is very good. And so far no one has hit on it. I'm just so proud of myself.

Does Charly suspect who the cute little owl is from? I can't really answer that right now. Too much story involvement here.

What's going to happen when Charly finally meets Orion's girlfriend? Don't miss chapter fourteen.

sweets: In Orion's defense, 'trust' is a big issue with him. As is it with Katlin. These are not two people who generally trust anyone. Least of all each other. It's going to take them a while to learn to trust each other, if they ever do.

Unfortunately, Orion is your typical male who hasn't had a relationship live out the weekend. The boy is just down right inexperienced in the field of a real relationship. Superficially, he's the best. But make it count? We have troubles there.

When does Family Relations roughly come out? (Roughly when PAR gets off her arse and starts working on it again.) Probably the end of this year. Yes, yes. I know how late that makes it from my original projected release date. But be warned, even that could change. Life circumstances changed the last date. Hopefully nothing will this time.

Cypress Gardens is currently being sought by two buyers. One is from Georgia who owns other theme parks and says if he buys the park, he will be adding 'thrill rides' to it. (Great. Just what we need on the lake. An amusement park.) And the other buyer is the State, who I hope does buy and preserve the park. Currently, all offers are on hold while the state pushes a lot of papers around about the selling of the property.

The job is going very well. I passed a large test last week by re-wiring a complete office for phones and it all came up and worked in the end. That was no small feat, and PAR was quite worried right to the end when we flipped the switch and everything came up.

I'm sorry you are still having trouble finding a job. I know right now it is very difficult in the job market. But keep watching the state job sight and usajobs.com. I never expected to find my job and just came across it completely by accident.

I wish you luck.

FairyTale: Ohhhhhhhh, and I do so look forward to your reviews.

But something to look forward to on Monday.

I am trying to check out your stories. I'll see what I can do this weekend.

Awwww! I'm one of your favorites?! PAR is most appreciative! Thank you!

I'm glad you like my characters interaction. I suppose I simply know them very well, and have very little trouble imagining how they would react or respond to things.

Charly and the owl was one of my better scenes. But it is indicative of Charly's whole character, there. He's a bit of a joker and has a very sharp sense of humor, which is balanced by Orion's rather dry one.

Oh, indeed, the pheromone cloud is shifting with the wind and Orion and Katlin have to start dealing with the situation they have gotten themselves into.

Not so much sparring matches as blinking contests. And never put it past Katlin to bring all her charms to the forefront to get what she wants. The woman knows what she's got and she knows how to use it.

There is definitely more Charly-Orion interaction coming. Especially when Charly gets his first sight of Orion and Katlin together. Keep in mind this isn't just the shock of finding out who Orion is seeing. Charly also has to deal with the knowledge that his partner lied to him. That's very serious between two Unspeakable partners.

Some of the chapters are insanely short (three pages or so) and I will give more than one on such occasions. But this one ran twelve pages, so that should make you happy.

UnrepentantReader: Doesn't she just! I love working with this character. She's just so direct about things sometimes.

That was probably one of the better lines of the whole chapter. What can I say? Sometimes God gifts me with good lines. Other times I have to work for them.

But thank you. Your review made my day. I had so many lovely ones this time. A treat for a chapter I wasn't very happy with when I wrote it. 

Skahducky: O.K.. Five chapters in, I have to ask. Dear, what's with the name? You don't just get a name like that by accident. There's got to be a story attached to that.

What exactly could Katlin be punished for? Currently? Well, she's seeing a top ranked Auror behind Voldemort's back and not taking advantage of it. She hasn't told him about the situation. She's lying to him about it. She used her status among the Deatheaters for her own personal use. And, having captured a Auror, she helped him escape. Should Voldemort find out about any of that, she would likely be killed. Favorite or not. What was she punished for this time around? That was explained in this chapter. And it was not because she helped him escape.

****

FAMILY LIFE

Chi: FANART?! FANART?! Ohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Goody! Feel free! I always wished someone would do some on one of my stories. I would illustrate a bit if I had the time. But it takes me forever to do a picture. But maybe someday.

Thank you for the kind words, Dear. I to print out many stories to take to bed and read into the wee hours. Beats a lot of the so-called professionally published stuff out there.

coconut-ice agent h/h: WFF? That's a new one for me, Dear.

Another favorites list! Go me!!!!!!! Yah!!!!! And you're very welcome, Dear.

Melissa: Oh, you have not been keeping up with the Q&A. Family Life is being sequeled, Dear. The story is titled Family Relations and is one of three parts to the story arc. It has been previewed at the end of several stories after the Q&A sections. Three chapters to be exact.

Was Sirius freed? That is answered in the sequel.

What about Ron and Hermione? Well, Ron shows up in the sequel. No Hermione yet.

How did the rest of the world react to Lord Voldemort's downfall? Probably much as they did the last time. Generally partying and public disorderliness.

Nightshade Beam: Yes, the site overloads are a huge irritation. But thank you for hanging in there, Dear. PAR appreciates her reviews. And I am very pleased you liked the story.

****

TRIED AND CONVICTED

Starlette: Ohhhh, a cheering section! 

I understand wanting to sit and read fanfictions all day, Dear. Believe me. But my life keeps interrupting my plans. Something about work and paying bills.

Keep up with the dedication to homework thing, Dear. Self-discipline is a good thing. As for Sirius being moved to Azkaban, yes that was a complete surprise to those trying to free him. Especially since they now have to race time to get to him before the Dementors.

Happy ending? Pffft! Again, you don't know me very well. Or maybe you do. We'll see.

Reviews are as of 06062003. Sorry if I missed you. Let me know.


	8. Chapter Seven: You've Got Mail

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Chapter Seven: You've Got Mail

Katlin spent most of her day as she did most days, at the lair. What she had told Orion was very much the way her life was. Her idea of a regular day job was her work as one of Voldemort's Elite. And that took most of her time. Though not where she would like to be, she still carried a position of relative power within the lair. A position that either earned her people's respect, or their fear.

But the day turned out to be one of those that left her wanting for nothing more than to return home for the night. She had been given quarters at the lair. Ones that from time to time she used. But nothing suited her quite like the peace and quiet of her own, private residence.

As was her habit, the first thing she did upon arriving home was to turn on her computer to check what had happened during the day and to check on any new information from her contacts in the muggle world. Usually the information was trivial to her. But she dutifully wrote it all down and would relay it the next day to Voldemort. Happenings in the muggle world seemed important to him.

Katlin sat down heavily in the chair before the small, brightly glowing screen. It had been a long day. Since there had been rumors coming out of the north of a new, powerful wizard who was gaining power, the lair seemed a constant center of activity. But to date Voldemort had held back sending any of his own people to investigate the rumors. Relying for the time on information brought to him by others. Katlin had offered several times to go herself to see what she could find out about the situation. But Voldemort had outright refused any request on those lines. Telling her he didn't feel the circumstances warranted his concern yet. But she felt she heard something very different in his voice. Not a lack of concern, but a growing one. And the situation wasn't as harmless to him as it seemed to others. He was, in fact, keeping his people out of the area as much as possible, calling back several factions in the north and consolidating his own power closer to home.

All in all, Katlin didn't like what was going on, and it worried her. She could feel Voldemort's unrest growing day by day, and it was starting to wear on her. Not so much that he himself was growing concerned over the news they were receiving, but that he was trying to hide the fact from her. He was treating her like a child who needed to be kept shielded from the realities of life. And she didn't much care for it.

Katlin looked over the usual list of e-mails with a bored expression. The majority of them would say many of the same things they had said the day before. Some person trying to take over some other person's company, promises made, alliances formed, bargains talked over, favors exchanged. And in the end, nothing was ever really done. Some of these take-overs she followed for Voldemort went on for months before anything really interesting took place. All in all, it was the most boring part of her day.

But as she scanned the list of e-mails for the day, something caught her eye. She quickly scrolled down to it.

A new listing had appeared among her usual ones. It simply listed the message content as 'O'.

Katlin clicked on the message. 

Past her initial surprise, she found she had to read the message twice before it made sense to her. It consisted of a very short text, which listed a date, a time, and a location. The closing of the message was the same as the listing had been. 'O'.

It was the location that told her who the message had come from. 'The foyer' was all it said. The date and time were for six o'clock that night.

Katlin glanced at the time on the computer screen. Five thirty.

Well, he could wait. And it would likely be a good thing, too. Since the longer he waited, the longer he would live.

Orion stood for a half hour in his front foyer waiting for Katlin.

'Women!' He told himself sternly. It was almost a genetic thing it seemed with some of them to be late.

But a bloody half hour!

He was beginning to wonder if she had gotten the message at all when a small popping sound to his right caught his attention.

Before he could even express his annoyance at the delay, Orion found himself slapped hard across the face.

"You lied to me!" Katlin nearly yelled at him.

Orion gingerly rubbed a hand over his cheek. "Good evening to you too, Love." He muttered.

"How dare you!" Katlin stated in a low, dangerous tone. "I trusted you. I believed you. And you lied to me!"

Orion took several steppes back. He may not have known her long, but he knew her well enough to know when it was best to put distance between them. Even if it was only a few precious feet. "Katlin, give me a chance to explain, please."

"Seconds!" She stated in a short, sharp tone. "You have seconds! Not minutes! Seconds!"

Orion stared back at the furious woman standing before him, trying desperately to look apologetic. "All right, yes, I lied to you. But it was for a good cause, Katlin." He began quickly. 

"There is no good cause for lying to me!" She snapped back. "What was your purpose the other night? To get into my computer? See what you could learn? What secrets I kept there? What plans?"

"Katlin...."

"So tell me." She cut him off quickly. "Was it worth it? Having to spend the night in that horrid little apartment so you could snoop through my files? Ah, but there was compensation, wasn't there? You got me in the bargain, so it wasn't all bad. Was that it? Sleep with the Deatheater? Distract her? Get her off guard?"

"Katlin, will you listen to me, please?" Orion ask in a low, unthreatening tone.

"I trusted you!" She shot back at him. "I trusted you because I wanted so badly to believe you. To believe you of all people wouldn't do something like this to me."

"Like this?"

Katlin stepped back from him, shaking her head as tears she was fighting back glistened still in her eyes.

Orion paused in confusion. He had expected her to be upset. But certain not as much as she was. But as he thought over what she had said he realized what she was getting at. That most of her relationships with people stemmed from exchanges. Each using the other to gain something. That the closest thing to an honest relationship was likely the one she had with him. 

And now she felt he had betrayed her. 

And because she had let her guard down, it simply hurt that much more.

"Katlin, it was necessary." He tried to tell her.

"Necessary to lie to me?" She ask, though her voice had fallen to a dismal whisper that was nonetheless still echoing the hurt quite clearly.

"Katlin," he said softly, turning her face gently back to his, "I am sorry. Sometimes I do things that......I don't know. I could have gone about them better. This was one of those times. I was...making a joke."

"A joke." She stated disbelievingly.

"In the Department, part of my job is working with computers. I'm probably more efficient on one than even you are. But I thought....I would surprise you. So when I saw your computer, I distracted you into not turning it off. And when you went to sleep I snuck in the room and got your e-mail address. I swear, I did nothing else. I didn't go into any files. I can even show you how to check to prove I'm telling the truth. All I wanted was your e-mail address."

"Why?" She ask, her voice a little more steady now.

Orion gave her a small smile as he took her hands in his. "You said Voldemort doesn't use computers himself. That he doesn't like them. That you're the one who uses them for him. Now, if we're going to keep...'doing this', as you put it, we need a sure, safe way to communicate, no?"

Katlin looked up at him, a small light of understanding in her eyes.

"The computer is a perfect way. I'm sorry I upset you." He repeated. "I would have explained in my note, but I wasn't sure who else might have access to your computer. So I left the message as cryptic as I could and was going to explain everything to you when you arrived tonight. I didn't mean for it to upset you, Love. I'm sorry."

Katlin paused for a moment, staring at the floor between them. "No one else uses my computer." She said finally in a very small voice. "No one else has access to it. And it is completely secure."

Orion turned her face back to him. "Then we have a perfect means by which to communicate." He replied with a smile. "Owls can be captured. Fires can be tapped. But computers are as foreign to most of our kind as magic is to muggles. It will be perfect."

Katlin's expression softened considerably even as she turned back to the floor. "I'm sorry." She said quietly. "I thought....." But she couldn't find the words to explain.

But Orion had heard them enough that evening to understand. "Love, I would never do that to you." He said gently. "What we have may just be fun and games, but one thing it will never be is something I would use against you. I would never use it to hurt you." A small, leering grin formed on his lips. "Unless you want me to."

Katlin returned his smile. "Maybe later."

"So," he asked, leaning down a bit until he was eye level with her, "am I forgiven.....again?"

Katlin's smile softened a bit. "We'll see." She answered. "But beware. You're rapidly wearing out that escape for your escapades, Mr. Black."

"And when you don't forgive me?"

Katlin gave him a smile this time that left no hint of softness in it. "Then, Mr. Black, you'll find out what happens when I really get angry."


	9. Chapter Eight: Unanswered Questions

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Chapter Eight: Unanswered Questions

Over the next three weeks, Orion continued to set up meetings with Katlin via her computer. But scheduling a meeting, each soon found out, was one thing. Actually getting to it was quite another. Over the past week alone, each had had to cancel three times. That left them one night that week that they had actually been able to be together.

Orion had sworn something short of a speeding train greeted him that night as he met her in the foyer. Katlin literally ran into his arms, eager hands burying themselves in his robes and quickly searching out their favorite places.

"Please!" She stated feverishly. "Tell me you don't have a meeting, a mission, a doctor's appointment, or anything else tonight!"

Orion laughed softly as he wrapped his arms snuggly about her soft, well-shaped body. "Just a night planned in bed with you, Love." He told her. "No interruptions allowed."

Katlin sighed happily as she melted into his embrace. "That sounds wonderful."

Orion tilted her chin up until his lips found her's in an eager, hungry kiss. "Then we'd best get started." He said as he pulled back and led her to the stairs. "We have six nights to make up for."

That night Katlin woke up to find Orion's side of the bed empty. But that wasn't terribly unusual when they stayed at his house. By now she was getting use to his midnight wanderings. Something she learned he did quite often, but rarely offered any explanation for. Sometimes she would simply wait for him to return. Or she would find him asleep in one of the downstairs rooms the next morning. 

Occasionally she would go looking for him. Finding him sitting in the den in front of the fire with a half empty bottle of something in his hand, or come across him in one of the hallways. 

Usually she could coax him back to bed simply with a promise of making sure he could sleep the rest of the night. Or she would take him to the kitchen and brew him up a nice dreamless sleep potion and they would both finally go back to bed. 

Whichever remedy he opted for, her end goal was always the same. To get him to go back to sleep. Something she felt he did far too little of.

Tonight she decided to go looking for him. It was the third night that she had been with him that he had gone off, and the other two she had found him in the morning sleeping in one of the downstairs rooms. The last time it had been amid three empty bottles of very old scotch, and she wasn't in the mood to contend with his hangover again. So she decided to stop him this time before he got started.

When she got downstairs, she quickly managed to locate him in the den, sitting in front of the fire. Thankfully he didn't have any bottles yet. But it was the rare occasion, she reminded herself, that he would get drunk twice in a row. Instead he seemed to be simply sitting there, studying the fire with an intense look of concentration on his face.

Quietly Katlin came into the room and stood just behind him.

"That's a very serious look." She stated softly.

"You can't even see my face." He replied in much the same tone.

"I don't need to. As stiffly as you're sitting there, it's the only look that would make sense."

Katlin stepped around the end of the sofa and walked over in front of him, slowly straddling his legs as she sat on them facing him.

"Oh, see. I was right." She stated, lightly kissing the end of his nose. "So tell me. What has you so deep in thought?"

Orion paused as he continued to stare past her at the fire. "That informant that was killed in Austria."

Katlin stared at him past a quizzical look. "Why him?"

Orion shifted his focus to her face. "Katlin, I didn't kill him. You didn't kill him. Someone did."

"Orion, why care? It was mission. Something went wrong. Let someone else sort it out. Doesn't your Department have people who do that sort of thing?"

Katlin had hoped to draw him out of his serious mood. But she could see from the look he still had fixed on her that she wasn't succeeding at all. It was an almost cold, calculating look. The kind muggles described as 'you can practically smell the smoke'.

"Katlin," he asked her slow, level tone, "do you know who killed that man?"

Katlin equaled his look with the stare she fixed on him. "We agreed not to asked questions like that." She reminded him evenly.

"Do you?" Orion repeated.

Katlin sat stock still in his lap, staring down at him, but saying nothing.

"Katlin," Orion went on, "I need to know."

"No, Orion." She answered finally. "You want to know. There is no 'need' to this. And I can't believe you're asking me this to begin with. We have rules. Ones we agreed to play by. Rules that had a purpose. And among those rules were things we didn't asked each other about. Things we couldn't answer. Things I can't tell you or you can't tell me because if we did someone might get hurt."

Orion sighed quietly as he looked up at her, his hands resting comfortably on her hips. "Is there anyway you can answer that question that won't put you in danger?"

Katlin looked down at him, her stare growing harder by the minute. "It could put people I care about in danger."

"Deatheaters." Orion commented.

Katlin's stare shifted to one of annoyance. "No, Orion. Aurors. Half of your department are my best friends."

"Well, that explains why they're always looking for you."

Katlin paused at his comment, then sighed quietly. "Can we not talk about this?" She said in a weary voice. She really hadn't come looking for a fight tonight.

Orion stared up at her, apparently reading the change in her expression, and finally nodded.

"All right, Love." He agreed. "Why don't we just go to bed?"

Katlin smiled down at him as she pulled back and stood up in front of him, offering him her hand as she helped pull him up.

"Now that sounds like a perfectly wonderful idea." She mused.


	10. Chapter Nine: Little White Lies

A/N: WOMAN!!!!!! What were you thinking!?!!!!!!

People, that's pretty much all I have to say on the book. Why? Because I'm not a spoiler. I know most of you have likely read it by now. It has, after all, been out for more than 24 hours. And to those of you who have read it, you know what I'm talking about. The rest of you....you'll find out. But I would ask, that should you feel the necessity to respond or vent, please do so vaguely. Don't spoil what we all waited three long years for.

Oh, and I just realized I have been doing this without a disclaimer.

Don't miss the disclaimers, folks. I'm venting.

So:

Disclaimer: Although Enemies is in and of itself an original story, all references to anything connected to the Harry Potter series is the explicit property of J.K. 'I'll kill off whoever I please, not caring who it upsets or how they may feel about it personally because they are my characters after all' Rowling and her publishers.

And as always, if you've already read the book and still feel that you can ever do so again...,

Enjoy. 

Chapter Nine: Little White Lies

Several days later Orion sat at his desk staring absently at the hutch of his desk before him, a look of deep concentration on his face. While Katlin had proved to be her wonderfully distracting self the night before, managing with little effort to make him forget most of his troubles, the same one returned that morning after she left. The murder of his informant in Austria.

From the other side of the room, Orion's partner, Charly Misser, had been watching him throughout the morning. 

He had seen his friend and partner's preoccupation growing steady as the days progressed, and knowing Orion Black likely better than anyone else could, Charly knew all too well when the man had something on his mind that he couldn't let go of. Though few others would likely have looked twice at Orion's behavior, his body language was speaking volumes to Charly. And after days of repeated questions and proddings back to the 'real world', Charly decided it was time to step in.

Orion snapped back to full awareness to the feeling of something striking him on the back of his head.

Turning around, he glanced at the floor to find a wadded up piece of parchment laying there. Following the most likely path of trajectory, Orion wound up at the grinning face of his partner.

"Care to talk about it?" Charly ask.

"About what?"

"Whatever's got you nearly walking into walls this week."

Orion shook his head and turned back to his desk, saying nothing.

But Charly wasn't so easily put off. Getting up he walked over to Orion's desk, leaning against the side of the hutch as he stared down at his partner.

"Look, mate," Charly said, "no offence, but the Idiot Bale has us up for an assignment this weekend, and I, for one, do not care to turn around at some point during it to find some Deatheater about to hex you into next week while you've got your distracted little head up in the clouds somewhere. So out with it. What's up?"

Orion sighed as he shifted his gaze from Charly back to the hutch of his desk. "Do you remember that mission Bale sent me on to Austria?"

"Where the informant was killed? What of it?"

Orion sat silently in his chair for some time before going on. "What I told Bale wasn't the whole story, Charly."

Charly paused for a moment. He knew it wasn't that Orion was telling him he had lied to the Department heads who had questioned him for hours about the incident. It was that Orion had told Charly much the same story he had told the others. 

He hadn't just lied to Bale, he had lied to him. 

To his partner.

Charly fixed an expressionless gaze on the man seated before him. "So what was the whole story?" He ask in a tone that matched his expression.

Orion again fell silent for several moments before answering him. "The night the informant was killed, I wasn't alone."

The smallest flicker of annoyance passed over Charly's features. "You had someone out in the woods with you? On a mission?" He ask.

Orion turned his gaze slowly to his partner. "A woman."

Charly's expression shifted quickly to one of disbelief. "You took some bird with you out on a mission! Merlin's Beard, Orion! What were you thinking!?" Charly raked his hands through his hair. "Stars above! Bale finds out about this, mate....., it'll be the nicest thing that's ever happened to him. Not only did you compromise your mission, then fail to complete it, but you lied to Bale about what happened!?"

"I didn't lie about it, Charly!" Orion defended himself. "I just left a small part out that wasn't any of Bale's business."

"And I'm sure he'd see it that way."

"She didn't have anything to do with it, Charly."

"You're that sure?"

"Pretty much."

"So who was she?"

Orion fell silent again. But this time he didn't answer the question at all.

Charly's expression changed to one of outright annoyance. It wasn't like his long time friend to simply clam up about something. No matter how personal it might have been, he was always the one person Orion told everything to. But now he sat before him, clearly shutting him out.

"Well?" Charly ask pointedly.

"I don't want her brought into this, Charly." Orion replied quietly. "She had nothing to do with it."

Charly studied the man before him. "Was she still with you when the informant was killed?"

Orion sat for a moment in his stoic silence, then slowly nodded.

"Does she know what happened?"

Orion paused briefly again, then nodded.

"She saw the informant?" Charly ask, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Orion simply nodded again.

Charly stood for several seconds staring down at Orion. "Did you ask her about it?" He questioned finally.

"Not in depth." Orion answered. "Charly, she was as stunned as I was. She didn't know anything."

"And knowing what you can be like in the presence of a bird, mate," Charly replied, "I'm surprised you had the presence of mind to notice. And if you don't mind my commenting....."

"Which I usually do." Orion put in quickly.

"I would say based on your actions the past few days, you still have some questions about things yourself."

Orion said nothing. But his expression clearly told Charly he had hit a nerve.

"Look, Orion," Charly added, "whatever you and this bird were doing, that's your business, true enough. You did something stupid. I'm not going to lecture you about it. And as far as I'm concerned, it's between us. But the fact of the matter is, you still have some unanswered questions of your own as to what happened in Austria that night. And I think the majority of them center around this woman."

Orion continued to stare up at his partner, saying nothing one way or the other. Although it wasn't necessary, he appreciated Charly saying he would keep what Orion had told him between them only. And for the rest of it, well, maybe Charly was right. Maybe Orion still wondered about just how much Katlin wasn't telling him. She had told him her version of things, and it had all sounded right then. But the more he had dwelled on it, the more things weren't fitting together so conveniently.

"All I'm saying," Charly broke into his thoughts, "Is that maybe you need to get a little more clarification from this woman. Because you are most definitely acting like a man who still has a lot of unanswered questions going around in his head."

Orion stared up at him.

"Look, have you tried feeling her out on it yet?"

Orion started to answer, but quickly stopped himself. If he tried sensing if Katlin was telling him the truth or not, she would know. And if he told Charly that, he would know that the woman was a witch, and was either and Auror or a Deatheater. All of which was just more information than he wanted his partner to have right now. So instead he simply shook his head.

Charly noticed the hesitation, but let it go. Every little extra bit of information Orion was feeding him, subconsciously or consciously, he was carefully filing away to look at later. "Why not?" Charly asked. "I mean, mate, that's the easiest way to go."

"She said she didn't know anything, Charly." Orion replied. "And I believe her."

"Right. That's why you're sitting here having a staring contest with your desk."

Orion fell silent again.

"Just give it some thought, Orion." Charly said, heading out of the room. "Like I said, you need to get your head out of the clouds, mate. For your sake...and maybe mine."

Orion watched his partner walk off. He had outright lied to him. Something he had never done to Charly in all their years. And there he had sat, lying to him as easily as he might have lied to a stranger. And about what? Some woman he was sleeping with? So he was sleeping with a Deatheater. Charly would have understood his reasons. She was absolutely fabulous in bed. And he wasn't trading secrets with her. She learned nothing about any operations from him. It was all harmless fun.

Charly would have understood.

And he had sat there and lied to him about her.

That Charly would not have understood.

Orion dismally went back to staring at his hutch.

****

Q&A

I'm going to start this with an apology. Guys, understand, I'm just bummed out. OOtP was a disappointment for me. I expected our usual, happy little romp through Rowling's world, and what did I get? The e-class ticket to ride greased rails right into a blue funk. To me the book was very depressing. I still show a lot less emotion in this kid than I thought was warranted, When he was first reunited with Sirius he once again acted as though the man had been living under his bed all summer and he talked to him every single day, and finally, HOW COULD SHE DO THAT!!!!!!!? (Those of you who have read understand.).

So understand, I'm bummed out.

On with the reviews. 

****

Werepup: I'm willing to bet you're not nearly as thrilled with the fact that OOtP came out now as you were blissfully anticipating it on Saturday, now are you?

Well, I'm glad I'm somebody's hero. That's a nicer feeling than the one I have currently been harboring.

Well, multiple chapter submissions again. Hope you enjoy them.

Fantome: The whole issue between these two is 'trust'. And Orion's gesture is well off the scale of anything Katlin might have expected. As she said, she could easily give that pendent to someone else, or a whole lot of someone elses, and given them clear access to Orion's house. The whole point is that he trusts her that she won't. The ball, as they say, is now in her court. 

A lot of people commented on the dragon. And trust me, the dragon is not all that you think. I'll bet large sums of money on that. And keep a watch on him. He figures VERY prominently in the story.

Orion's whole life is being sneaky. And he's very good at it.

Katlin's location isn't so much a matter of planning as necessity. She simply can't afford anything more upscale. And she refuses to be beholding to anyone in her life. Even Voldemort.

Katlin must really like Orion? That remains to be seen. Right now they are just playing the physical aspect.

Orion has a very good reason for drinking. And its not just to get drunk. It's almost medicinal for him. But that will come up later in the story. And the reason he drinks is the reason he doesn't get enough sleep most nights.

'Half your department are my best friends' was a line delivered with a great deal of sarcasm.

True, it may seem that Katlin is more involved in the 'relationship' than Orion is right now. But that's because Orion is extremely preoccupied.

Silverfox: Actually, where the dragon is concerned, there's more there than meets the eye. I had actually considered re-writing that little bit at the end but finally left it as it was. But the dragon will be making a LOT of return appearances. For more than that on him, read werepup's answer.

I don't know that Orion 'let' himself get caught. But you can chalk it up to lack of sleep that he was.

I LOST REVIEWS!? What AM I paying these people for!?

As to the progress of the 'relationship', Orion is just a bit single minded right now, which I think showed up even more in these chapters than anywhere else so far. And the trouble it gets him into. 

Sailor Sol: The things you will come up with in your stories when you work in computers all day.

I'm glad you are enjoying the story. Thanks for the review.

FairyTale: Again with the lost reviews! What is Fanfiction doing? Silverfox mentioned this as well.

Actually, Dear, I tend to look at your 'trouble causing' as a bit of a blessing. It's reviewers like you who keep old PAR on her toes and force me to take a closer look at my stories. I appreciate the help.

As for the 'children' part, Dear, you think too much for old PAR. You're the type who I throw a stick out to and you bring me back a log cabin, complete with appliances. Having said that, I'm saying very little else. If I did I could just chunk that story out the window. However, being the thinker you are, I would like to hear your opinion on the 'tragic incident' in Book V. I read some of the reviews (or where they threats?) at some websites about that, and a lot seem to feel old Luna knows more than she's telling about what really happened there. But the thing that keeps plaguing me is that JK said in an interview (albeit before she wrote this book) that once you're gone, you're gone. Opinions?

'Generous and warm-hearted man that he is'? Where DID that come from, FairyTale? More like, everything but.

Actually, there's a lot fishy about Orion's kids. But again, if I spell it all out here, why bother with the story?

Why am I getting confused about when Orion and Katlin do and don't have their kids? It comes from writing five stories at once which all take place at different times but are interwoven, Dear. Nothing mysterious there.

I think to start the eldest was thirteen. He is actually fifteen. He would be the 'cousin' that is Harry's age.

The mistake is there, Dear. It come from PAR not knowing French and substituting something until she can find the words she's looking for.

Currently, it is fun and games. And oddly enough, my readership seems to feel that Katlin is the one making more of an investment in the 'relationship' than Orion right now. But emotionally, yes, Orion is in much deeper than Katlin right now. When the boy falls, he falls hard.

Well, about how easily Katlin turns the Deatheater thing on and off, that is, in a sense, part of what makes her such a good one when you think about it. She often is the one mixing with muggles for Voldemort, and she definitely isn't walking into a corporate CEO's office as a Deatheater. That wouldn't get her very far. But as a very attractive, naive, available woman, she gets much further.

As for Orion letting go of his work, lets cut him some slack here. He has a dead informant on what should have been a very routine mission and the only variable he didn't have control over he is currently shagging.

As to the 'Charly' question, I hope you got your fix for having him in the story again. But as to the lying issue, yes, not telling him about Katlin Charly would see as lying. But not that Orion doesn't have the right to a private life. There's something else at play here and it comes up a little bit in these chapters and full out in the next few postings.

I am trying to post at least once a week. But things are getting a bit tight for me time-wise.

Looking forward to your comments about the 'incident'.

UnrepentantReader: Crazy what some people will do just because it suits them, huh? And in all truth, her e-mail address was all he was looking for and was all he took. And Orion is trying desperately to keep an even keel on the trust issue. So letting her into the house he felt was a good trade off for proving he didn't mean any harm with the computer thing.

As for the dragon, he will be making a LOT of appearances. He is, in fact, quite vital to the story, just not in the form you might think.

The 'relationship' is definitely getting out of their control. And in these chapters, Katlin is the first one to start realizing some of the ramifications they are heading for. But let's face it, this 'relationship' has more problems then Enron.

As for their trying to hold onto something, think of it more as trying to build on something. And you could have two more inept people trying to do so. You have Katlin, who is currently going against everything she was ever taught simply because of this tiny little voice deep inside that tells her she should, and Orion, who is likely the most socially inept person you will ever meet. He is basically a loner and always was. He had exactly one close friend all his life (well, one other, but we haven't gotten to that yet), and his longest relationship with a woman likely lasted a week. Wherever they're going, getting there will not be easy.

Orion's insomnia should be foreboding. It has a lot to do with why he is the way he is.

They are both very haunted people for very different reasons. But each equally justifiable.

sweets: The bit about why Katlin had e-mail was in the story, Dear. She is Voldemort's liaison between the muggle and wizarding worlds. So she would have to have some adeptness at a computer and most definitely have to be associated with e-mails in that she keeps in contact with several people running large businesses, who live their live on e-mails.

The fact that I bought technology into the story was based on the fact that I was dealing with two people, each associated with opposing forces that constantly spy on each other. In order to communicate and be sure it was absolutely secure, I had to take them outside their element, as it were. Give them a form of communication that would be difficult to trace to begin with and be utterly alien to their own kind. Hence, a computer.

****

FEVER

Pyro: Aren't they just! I just can't seem to stay away from happy endings with my Baby Harry stories.

As for Snape and Lupin being cordial to each other, I have very solid views on that. And I feel these two have an excellent bases for a friendship. But Snape being Snape, he would likely never admit to it. But in the Potter universe according to PAR, with no offence meant to Mrs. Rowling, Snape and Lupin are indeed friends. Tentative, but friends.

I love writing scenes with Harry and his godfather spending a little quality time together, especially since *cough,cough* Mrs. Rowling doesn't seem to *cough,cough*.

Ummmmmm......, you are aware that Family Life was continued for 48 more chapters, right, Dear? And yes, it is positively chunked full of non-slashy Remus\Sirius.

As to Siriusly Bored, Dear, Remus can not be around humans when he is a 'werewolf'. In this story he is in his animagus form, which is a common wolf. Go check out A Dog's Day. I think the disclaimer on this is in the author's notes.

****

TRIED AND CONVICTED

Starlette: Well, Dear, I'm glad to see you came back. And for the sequel at that. And PAR is well known for her happy endings in Baby Harry stories. They're just so cute, how could I do otherwise?

Reading another story? Boy, I would love to make suggestions. Of course, my favorite is always the one I am currently working on, which at this point is Enemies. And, of course, I can't help but plug my up-coming sequel to Family Life, Family Relations.

I won't say anything about the book. Having gone through it, I don't want to spoil your enjoyment of it. However, I expect quite a few comments in my reviews next time. The book had a lot to talk about. And that's where I'll stop.

Reviews are as of 06222003. If I missed you, please let me know.


	11. Chapter Ten: A New Set Of Rules

Disclaimer: Although I worked my butt off on this and it is in and of itself an original story, all connection to anything even remotely related to the Harry Potter Series are the explicit property of J.K. 'I don't care, I never really liked him anyway, get over it people' Rowling and her insensitive publishers who allowed her to whack such a wonderful character. Shame on all of you!

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Chapter Ten: A New Set Of Rules

In the early hours of the morning Katlin found herself being nudged awake by some feeling. Rolling over, she found Orion sitting up against a pile of pillows, an intense look on his face as he stared at the wall of the bedroom opposite him. It was the same look he had had the night before when she had found him sitting downstairs.

Katlin watched him for several moments, noting that he didn't even seem to notice she was awake.

"You're sitting there awfully quiet." She commented finally, staring up at him from her pillow.

"Just thinking, Love." He replied in the same quiet tone. "Go back to sleep."

But Katlin pulled up in the bed. "About what?" She asked.

Orion paused for a moment before answering her. "The ski town we were in in Austria."

"Why that?"

Orion shook his head slightly. "Too many unanswered questions. Things just aren't adding up."

"Adding up?"

Orion sighed quietly. Never once so far had he turned to look at her. Instead he kept his attention focused on the wall opposite him. 

"Katlin, my contact is dead, I don't know 'why' and I don't know 'who'."

Katlin stared at him in annoyance. "Try this then." She offered. "'Who' cares 'why'? Will you get some sleep!"

Orion finally turned to her, a slight frown etched on his lips. "In my book that is two too many unanswered questions, Katlin. And it's something I need to figure out."

"Well, it's very early in the morning. Haven't you given it enough of your attention for tonight?"

Orion stared back at her for a moment, Charly's suggestion hammering away at his good sense. If his partner was right about one thing, it was that he needed to know for sure that Katlin was telling him the truth. It wasn't that he didn't believe her when she said she had nothing to do with the informant's death. It was how much overall was she keeping from him. On pure instinct he knew she wasn't telling him the whole story, and something in what she was excluding could be the missing piece he was looking for.

"Katlin," He asked her straight forward, "what more do you know about what happened in Austria?"

From the look that appeared on her face, Orion knew straight off she wasn't pleased by the question. But that wasn't going to stop him from what he was going to do. In fact, it hardened his resolve. He was already in for it. What did it matter anymore how deep?

"I've already told you what I know." She replied in a voice she was fighting to keep conversational.

"You never told me why you were in Austria."

Katlin frowned at the statement. "I did." She replied carefully. 

Katlin didn't like this game. It was one they weren't suppose to be playing at at all. He had promised her he wouldn't.

But as she sat staring back at him, something touched her. A light, barely noticeable feeling. Another person might have shrugged it off as a stray current in the air. But she knew far better. In the blink of an eye she was out of the bed, the robe laying over the foot of it clutched in front of her as she stared back with a blazing fury at the man before her.

"What are you doing!?" She demanded.

"Katlin...."

"How dare you!" She screamed at him. "How dare you play your Auror tricks with me. This is your trust? You have to prove to yourself if I'm lying or not? You don't believe me?" Katlin balled up the robe and threw it at him. "Fine!" She shouted, standing before him with her arms held out at her sides. "You want your truth? Have it. Here are your answers. Feel them out if you have to."

"Katlin...."

But Katlin cut him off sharply in her fury. "I know nothing about your informant being killed! When I came to the clearing I was as surprised as you to find the man dead. Now!" She stated, none of the anger gone from her voice. "What did you get out of that?"

Orion sat in the bed facing her, looking as apologetic as he could. "Nothing." He replied. "I didn't try."

"Pity." Katlin answered. "Because I'm not going to say it again."

"I don't want you to."

"You have new questions?"

Orion shook his head. "No. No more questions, Katlin."

Katlin stood still facing him, her arms crossed over her chest. A little of her anger had been dispelled. Enough to make her curious now.

"Why?" She asked him. "Why now? Why this? You never did this to me before. From the first day you met me, you never did 'this'. I thought we had come to some sort of understanding, Orion. Some level of trust. And now this? Why?"

Orion couldn't have felt worse about what he did if he tried. Why had he listened to Charly's advice? His partner didn't know anything about the situation really. He was barely on the outside looking in. He knew nothing of what was between he and Katlin. Nothing of the underlying issues that this would touch on like a burning iron.

But the answer was simple enough really. Because Charly was his partner. Because he trusted him. Trusted him more than anyone in the world. Because he had never been asked to do different.

"Someone suggested it." Orion admitted in a low voice. "And I took that advice."

"Someone?" Katlin snapped back.

"My partner."

"Your...partner?" Katlin asked slowly in a skeptical tone.

"You don't understand." Orion replied. Looking up at her he could still see the heat of her anger burning in her eyes. But at least she was listening to him again. "In the department, everyone has a partner. Sometimes it's only two. There are some that work in threes and fours. But I only have one partner, Charly Misser."

"We know of Charly Misser." Katlin replied firmly. "He's almost as hated among us as you are."

"He'd take that as a compliment." Orion replied with a small smile, which quickly disappeared as he met Katlin's angry stare again. "Katlin, he's my partner. He's......he's almost like just another part of me. I've been with Charly for nearly my whole life. We know each other probably better than we know ourselves. When he suggested this, I didn't even think about it really. Because it came from him."

"Well, you should have."

"I don't disagree. Charly doesn't know the whole story here. I...." Orion paused for a moment. The thought itself was hard for him to get past, let alone admit to verbally. "I've never kept anything from him, Katlin. It's too much like lying to myself. But I haven't told him about us. It's the first thing that I have out and out lied to him about. And nothing in my life has ever felt so wrong as that."

"Then tell him." Katlin answered lightly with a slight shrug. "See how well your partner takes the news that your sleeping with a Deatheater. With an Elite, no less."

"This isn't some game, Katlin." Orion replied, his own voice taking on a slightly harder edge. "You don't understand what partners are to us in the Department. My work, my methods, my successes, and in some ways my life depend on Charly and I trusting each other. And here I sit, living this lie because I've deemed it more important to me than he is."

"It?" Katlin questioned slowly. "You mean 'me'?"

Orion paused, then nodded. "Alright. Yes, you. I lied to him about you. About us."

"Why?"

"Because he wouldn't understand. Somedays.....I can't even believe I'm doing it to him."

"Orion, that is your work. This is us. Your partner is not part of this. You aren't 'doing this' to him. Or aren't you allowed to have a private life at all?"

"You don't understand this, Katlin." Orion stated, getting out of bed and walking over to one of the large glass panel windows that lined the outer wall of his bedroom. Standing there, staring out at the night, he desperately fought to reconcile this new issue brought to the forefront. How could he be doing this to Charly. To his partner? Lying to him. And for what? Sex? Just so he could keep Katlin in his bed? 

And what would happen if Charly found out? The trust between them would be destroyed. And that was something he could never get back. 

And did he even have it now? The lie had already been entered into. The only thing that made it livable at this point was that Charly didn't know about Katlin. Or that Orion was lying to him about her.

Slowly Orion let his head lean forward until it rested against the glass. He hated thinking about this. Because there was no good answer to the problem. And he hated more thinking about it at one in the morning.

Suddenly two arms slowly snaked their way about his waist and a warm body conformed itself to his back.

"So now what?" Katlin asked in a barely audible whisper. "To soothe your conscience I get thrown to the side?"

Orion stayed standing at the window, his head resting against the glass. He could hear the hurt in her voice. The uncertainty.

"I don't have any answers, Katlin." He replied just as quietly. "And I really don't want to think about this anymore."

"If it bothers you so much, then tell him." Katlin said. With her arms wrapped about him still, she forced him to turn to face her, wrapping him once again in her embrace. "I'm not going to ever asked you to do something that tears at your soul as badly as this does. And I'm sorry. No, I didn't understand. I never saw this from the point of view you've shown me tonight." Katlin looked up at him. The turmoil this had dragged up for him reflected clearly in his eyes. "If it is going to cause you this much pain, then tell him."

Orion shook his head. "He won't understand. He'll think I've lost my mind."

"Then don't tell him now." Katlin replied, leading him slowly back to the bed. "Tell yourself that, for now, it's better you don't tell him. Because he won't understand. But promise yourself that someday in the future, soon, you will. Because you have to."

Orion smiled up at her as he sat back down on the bed. Gently he pulled her towards him until she stood just inches from him. "I am sorry." He told her sincerely. "It was wrong for me to do that to you. And if I had given it a minute's more thought, I wouldn't have. And I won't again. I swear it to you."

Katlin pursed her lips for a moment as she studied him, her expression completely unreadable. But finally she gave a small, quiet sigh as she stared down at his hand wrapped tightly about her's. "It wasn't us, Orion."

Orion stared up at her. "Us?"

"The Deatheaters. We had nothing to do with your informant's death."

"You're sure?"

"I swear it, Orion. As a Deatheater." Katlin paused again, considering whether or not to go on. "I was there for much of the same reasons you were." She stated finally, choosing each word carefully.

Orion turned fully to her. "You were meeting someone? For what?"

Katlin sighed as she stared down at him. "For much the same reason you were. Information."

"On what?"

Katlin pulled away from him and walked over to the nightstand where her wand was lying. With it, she summoned a large envelope out of her jacket pocket. Catching it in the air, she handed it to Orion, who took it slowly from her as she crawled back into the bed next to him. 

"What is this?" He asked.

"Read it." Katlin advised. "My informant said yours had much the same information."

"Mine?"

Katlin nodded. "He knew about your informant. That was the reason for the coincidental meeting. He thought it was 'funny'."

"Strange sense of humor your informants have."

"That may be. But according to my informant," Katlin replied, gesturing to the papers Orion was now reading over, "everyone in his area knew about this information ages ago. He thought it was funny that apparently neither the Deatheaters nor the Ministry did. But, he said, in the 'right circles', it's common knowledge." Katlin watched as Orion continued scanning the pages. "I can save you some time." She offered. "They say there's a wizard in the north. That currently he's gathering followers, territory, and power at a rapid rate. Voldemort had heard rumors, but nothing for sure. He sent me to meet with my contact for verification. That is what that package contains. All the information my informant had gathered."

Orion continued to peruse the pages, his brows coming together in a deep frown. "This says that this wizard seems mainly interested in....."

".....killing other wizards and witches." Katlin finished for him. "He's not after muggles, Orion. He's after us. His own kind."

Orion turned to her. "Why?"

Katlin shrugged. "We don't know. But my guess would be that one of the agents of this wizard was responsible for killing your contact to keep him from delivering this to you." She added, gesturing to the papers.

"And why do you think that?"

"Because I met my informant the night after you were to meet yours. He said that someone had made a try at him. Nearly succeeded. He handed over the envelope and disapparated immediately. The man was genuinely worried, Orion. And I've known this man for years. He isn't easily frightened. Someone had tried, and nearly succeeded, apparently, to kill him."

Orion studied her for a moment. "Why are you telling me this?" He asked.

Katlin sighed quietly. "For two reasons. One, because I want you to trust me, Orion. To believe that I will never do anything to hurt you. And this somehow got in the way of that. And secondly, because I had to."

"Had to?"

Katlin slowly turned her eyes to him. "Orion, if we keep.....doing this...."

"This?"

"'This'." Katlin repeated, waving her arm over the bed. "One day they will find out about us. We can't be with the people we're with without expecting that. We can hide it for just so long. So we had best be prepared for that day."

"Prepared by your telling me what the Deatheaters know?"  
Katlin shrugged. "What better way to get information from a Deatheater than by sleeping with her?"

"Do you believe that?" Orion asked her seriously.

"Do you?" Katlin replied.

Orion thought for a moment. "No."

Katlin fluffed the covers around her, still offering no answer to his question. "The sooner we start laying a paper trail, the better it will look." She replied instead.

"So I'm sleeping with you for information?" Orion stated. "What about you?"

Katlin turned to him. "You'd best be ready to hand something over when the time comes, Mr. Black." She replied. "Now, can we go to sleep?"

Orion obligingly scooted down in the bed next to her as Katlin settled down to go back to sleep. Snaking an arm across her waist, Orion snuggled his body up closer to her's. But for all the outward affection of the gesture, Katlin could still feel the tension in his body.

"Are you going to just lay there and think about it still?" She asked quietly as she slipped her hand slowly over his arm.

"No." Came the equally quiet reply.

"Then go to sleep."

"Katlin."

"Hmmm?"

The answer came after a slight pause. "Your people....the Deatheaters, they're planning an attack on a muggle business establishment in London where they think some information may be stored. Information that Voldemort wants." The arm tightened a little around her waist. "Don't go." Were the last words whispered in her ear.

Katlin lay staring into the darkness long after she had heard Orion's breathing fall into a peaceful, even rhythm.

What had he just done? Warned her of an attack against the Deatheaters? One his own people were planning? 

The mission for the Deatheaters he had mentioned was suppose to be easy. Go in and get out. The muggles would never know what happened. She had heard nothing that the ministry knew anything of the attack. Her best informants swore the ministry knew nothing. But Orion had just told her that not only did they know, but that the Deatheaters were walking into an ambush. One where many of them might be killed.

What had he just done?

Katlin tightened her hold on his arm a little as she continued to stare at the ceiling. The body next to her responded on instinct by pulling a little tighter up against her.

Carefully Katlin shifted her position a little as she turned toward him, gently kissing his cheek.

"We won't." She said softly, finally turning against him and drifting off to sleep herself. 


	12. Chapter Eleven: Sorting Things Out

Disclaimer: Although I sat and stared at the computer screen until blood appeared on my forehead writing this thing and it is in an of itself an original story, all things related to the Harry Potter series are the explicit property of J.K. 'get over it, I can do whatever I want because it's my story' Rowling and her 'we're only in it for the money' publishers.

****

Chapter Eleven: Sorting Things Out

A few weeks later Orion could practically hear the tidal wave roll through the office. An ambush, weeks in the planning, had failed completely. The Deatheaters had never showed.

Bale was simply prowling the halls looking for someone to blame. He was catching his share of blame from his superiors, and he was eager to share.

For that very reason Charly found himself dodging into his partner's office early one afternoon. He quickly slammed the door shut behind him with a sigh of relief as he heard Bale shout out someone else's name who hadn't been quite as fast to vacate the corridor.

Listening for a moment to the poor soul getting his ass chewed for some trivial matter, Charly turned a relieved smile to his partner. But it quickly faltered when he noticed Orion sitting at his desk, staring at the hutch in front of him. For all intents and purposes, Charly felt fairly sure Orion hadn't even notice him come in.

"Oy!." Charly called. "Black?"

Orion sat for a moment still staring into space before slowly turning his eyes to Charly.

"Tell me something." Charly said as he walked over to Orion's desk, seating himself on the edge of it. "Are there any more position openings for jobs like yours?"

"What are you talking about, Charly?" Orion asked in a slightly annoyed manner.

"'Sitting at the desk, staring into space'. Exactly how many positions did they open for that job?"

"What are you doing here, Charly?" Orion asked in the same irritated sounding voice as he turned back to his desk hutch. "I'm sort of busy right now."

"I can see that. So," Charly slipped off the desk and leaned against the hutch, "still thinking about Austria?"

Orion shifted his eyes back to the man. "What makes you think that?"

"Because that's the exact same look you had on your face the last time you were thinking about that mission." Charly leaned down a little closer as he studied his partner's face. But he suddenly pulled back. "Oh, cricky!" He exclaimed abruptly. "You're thinking about that bird of yours again, aren't you?"

Orion gave Charly the best puzzled look he could come up with. "Rupert?" He asked innocently. "No. He's fine."

Charly glared down at him. "The other one. That one you met on the mission."

Orion gave Charly a blissful sort of smile, then shrugged.

"All right." Charly stated. "What's going on with her now?"

Orion frowned as he settled back in his chair. "That's just it, Charly." He replied. "I'm not sure."

"Not sure?"

"This woman..., we have a great relationship, Charly. She's warm. She's funny. She's intelligent. She's absolutely gorgeous."

"Right, mate. She's breathing. I get the picture. So what's the problem?"

Orion sighed loudly. "Charly, I can't think of one reason....not a single one....that this relationship does work."

Charly stood for a moment staring down at Orion. "Pardon?"

"We have nothing in common, Charly." Orion explained. "Not one bloody thing."

"You must have something in common, mate." Charly suggested. "You've been seeing this bird for a while now. At least longer than most of your other ones."

Orion thought for a very long time, but then shook his head.

"All right," Charly offered, "what about.......work? Anything in common there? What does she do?"

Orion tried to look like he was thinking. Merlin's Beard! What a question for Charly to come up with right off. "Well, she sort of works in.......information."

Charly frowned at him. "Information? What is she? Some sort of a spy?"

Orion nearly choked. "No!" He stated quickly over a sudden cough. "She...works with....you know...computers." Orion admitted truthfully.

"Oh." Charly stated. "Well, you know those muggle contraptions pretty well, mate. Go with that."

Orion shook his head. "She already knows about my knowing computers. Trust me, she wasn't very impressed."

"O.K., then. What else? Does she have any hobbies?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"She does nothing in her spare time?"

"She doesn't seem to have a lot of that."

Charly frowned again. "Sounds to me like the bird is a workaholic, mate. Maybe you're better off without her."

Orion sighed to himself. "I don't know, Charly." Orion sat back in his chair again and crossed his arms over his chest. He stared into space for a few minutes before speaking again. "Charly, have you ever been love?"

Charly's eyebrows disappeared into his hair line. "Love?"

Orion glanced up at his partner's tone. "It's not a dirty word, Charly." He frowned at him.

"It has been with you." Charly stated. "Look, mate, you went from meeting this bird to being in love with her awful fast. Sounds more like a good old case of 'lust' to me."

Orion paused, then shrugged. "Maybe."

"No 'maybe' to it. Look, you just got done telling me you have nothing in common with her. How can you be in love with someone you know next to nothing about?"

"Don't you believe in love at first sight, Charly?" Orion asked him with a smile.

"No.' He answered bluntly. "Now listen to me, Orion, what do you really know about her? I mean, is she a muggle?"

Orion shook his head. "No. She's a witch."

"Well, at least you took the time to find that out."

"Charly, it's just......"

"It's just lust, mate." Charly cut him off quickly. "Go have a good roll with her and move on. The next one will be just as perfect for you. You'll see."

"I have thought of that, Charly." Orion replied dismally. "I've thought about ending it. About leaving her. About never seeing her again. But when I do....I just can't. I can't see myself that way. Without her. I'm just....I'm comfortable with her. Like I've never been with anyone else. I like having her around. I enjoy just being with her." Orion laid his forehead on his hands as they rested on his desk. "I just don't want to lose her, Charly."

"Do you think for some reason that you will?" He asked. "I mean, has she said something to you?"

Orion shook his head. "Not directly. But she told me once that all of her relationships eventually end. It's just the way things go with her."

"Did she say 'why'?"

Orion paused for a very long time as he slowly lifted his head. "She said....it was because she never had anything in common with those men."

"Uh oh."

Orion turned quickly to his partner.

"Woman sounds like she has a pretty definite pattern to her relationships, Orion."

"Well, I'd like to be the one to change that."

"Then you better get off your tail and start looking for something you have in common with this bird, mate. Anyway," Charly added, slapping him on the shoulder, "I'll see you in a few days, right?"

Orion looked up quickly. "What?"

"The mission, Orion. Wake up, mate. I've got that one-shot Bale arranged for me last week. Remember?"

Orion shook his head. Charly was right. He was dedicating way too much time to thinking about his relationship with Katlin.

"Blimmy, mate, I'd have been gone and back by the time you noticed."

"I'm sorry, Charly." Orion replied, glancing at him over his shoulder. "Good luck, all right?"

"See you in a few days." Charly replied, heading out the door. "Let me know how things are going with your bird then."

Charly barely saw Orion's parting wave as he headed out into the hallway.

In love!? 

Charly quickly shook his head.

No. That wasn't right. It couldn't be. How could Orion be in love with a woman he just met? No. It was just like it always was with Black. He was simply a little more infatuated than usual with this one. That was all it was.

Charly sighed loudly to himself as he continued down the hallway.

He hoped beyond hope that was all it was. Just infatuation. A case of run-away lust on Orion's part. And there was hope, after all. He never said once that the woman had said she loved him. Maybe she didn't. Maybe it was strictly a relationship based on lust from both ends. And those usually ran their course pretty quickly with his partner and were over.

If not, Misser had done what he could to send the relationship on it's way to a quick demise. Orion usually followed his advice. And gratefully, usually without question. He was almost a hundred percent sure that Black would start up trying to find something he and this woman had in common. And after a few tries, he was bound to realize, as he already suspected, that they had absolutely nothing. Nothing in common, nothing to base a relationship on, nothing to hold them together.

And that would be the end of it.

Misser smiled to himself. Yes, Orion would thank him for this in the end.

Just like always.


	13. Chapter Twelve: Something In Common

****

A/N: In answer to some questions I got last time in regards to Book V and how it will affect my stories; for the most part, it doesn't. PAR has happily built her writing hut in the land of AU and has no intention of returning to the real book world until Ms. Rowling sees fit to explain the purpose of that horrible incident in Book V. So there!!!! (Personally, I happen to think it was just a typo they haven't caught yet.) 

Someone once asked me if I listen to music while I write or if I identify any of my characters with specific songs. Well, the fact is, I do both. From the day he came into my head, I have always associated Orion with SuperTramps, 'The Logical Song'. This song simply defines the man right down to his all too clean socks. There is not one part of that song I could not attribute to the man. Go give it a listen and you'll see what I mean.

Also, poor PAR has had another death in the extended family. On Saturday morning one of my aunts in the Netherlands passed away. She was very old and had led a good life. Although I did not know her well, she was still part of my family and she will be missed.

Also, thanks to those who let me know that Fanfiction.Net erased some reviews. I was not aware that this had happened. But as I look at my hits for this story, I can see that so far it is being very well received and is picking up quite a readership. Thanks to all who read, and especially to those who review.

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Although this story is an original concept in regards to the plot, anything remotely connected to the Harry Potter series is the express property of JK 'Kept me waiting three long years just to be horribly let down' Rowling and her heartless publishers who did not make her do a rewrite as they should have.

(The disclaimer 'name' this time around is the sole property of Sailor Sol, who gave me the idea.)

Chapter Twelve: SOMETHING IN COMMON

The evening after his talk with Charly, Orion was still looking over his preparations when the doorbell rang. Hurrying to get it, he was met by a pair of arms and lips as soon as he opened the door.

"I can't stay long tonight." Katlin quickly informed him. "I have an early meeting tomorrow morning." She pulled back from him, giving him a seductive leer from under her long, soft eyelashes. "So I'm afraid it'll have to be just sex tonight."

Orion took hold of her hands before she could do anything more and carefully pulled them down. "I.....actually thought we might try something different tonight." He replied.

Katlin pulled her hands back and slipped off her coat. "As long as it doesn't take more than a few hours," she replied, launching herself back into his arms with a mischievous grin, "I'm game."

Orion pulled her back. "No. Something 'different'." He reiterated.

Katlin let herself be eased back from her lover. "Different?"

Orion smiled at her, then took her hand and led her out of the foyer. "Come with me." He said.

Katlin paused for a moment, resisting his lead, but finally gave in with a sigh and followed. A few minutes later Katlin found herself standing before two large wooden doors in a part of the house she had never seen before. Which wasn't saying much, since the majority of the house she had seen had been Orion's bedroom, with a scant, odd assortment of other rooms when they were feeling a bit more adventurous.

"I thought we might spend the evening a bit differently." Orion offered. "Starting.......," he continued, as he reached for the doors before her.

But almost instantly a small green creature appeared in front of the door.

"Dinner is served!" He announced quite formally.

"Tets!" Orion nearly shouted at the little creature.

The little house elf abruptly bumped into the door behind him as he took a quick step back under his master's glaring stare. "Mmmmmmmmaster?" He stammered quickly.

"You were suppose to wait until I opened the doors. Remember?"

But Katlin seemed a great deal less interested in what was behind the doors than in the little creature himself. She had heard of house elves before, but had never actually seen one.

"Orion!" She cried in delight. "You never said you had a house elf!"

Orion sighed. "Have a whole houseful of the little blighters. Tets is sort of......"

"Tets is Master Black's most trusted house elf, Misses." The little elf announced as formally as ever. "Tets runs the master's house for the master. Places much trust in Tets, the master does."

"....the most obnoxious of the group." Orion finished.

But Katlin still seemed completely impressed with the little creature. "I've never seen a house elf before." She admitted to the little green elf.

Tets gave her a questioning stare. "Well, begging the Misses' pardon," Tets informed her apologetically, "but that is the sign of a good house elf. Not to be seen."

Katlin straightened back up as she turned to Orion. "He's absolutely delightful." She smiled at him. "I can't believe you never introduced me to him before."

Orion sighed. "Katlin, Tets." He replied, then turned to Tets. "Tets, this is Katlin Griss. She's the woman I told you about before who might come by the house from time to time."

Katlin watched the little house elf execute a very formal bow. "I's is being most very pleased to serve the Misses as well as I's serves my master." Tets replied.

Katlin beamed at the little elf as Orion fixed a hard stare on him.

"Then get on with it!" Orion stated firmly at him. "Go about your duties the way we discussed them."

Tets bowed again to them and instantly disappeared.

Katlin turned back to Orion with the same pleased smile. "I do like him." She stated enthusiastically.

Orion sighed again. "Well, do me a small favor and don't tell him that. Neither one of us will ever hear the end of it if you do. But," He added, shifting his own expression back to a smile, "back to the business at hand. Mainly, this evening." He continued, reaching again for the handles to the doors. "I thought we might start," he added, opening the doors to reveal an elegantly set table in a small, private dining room, "with dinner."

Katlin stood for a few moments staring at the arrangement before her. But slowly she turned a questioning pair of eyes to Orion. "Dinner?" She asked carefully. "Here? With you?"

Orion shrugged. "Unless you'd rather have dinner with Tets?" He suggested half-seriously.

Almost instantly the little house-elf materialized on Katlin's right side, affectionately squeezing her leg as he wrapped his arms about it. 

"Oh! Misses!" He cried happily.

Orion stared down at his house-elf. "Get out, Tets!" He stated firmly.

Tets slowly detached himself from Katlin's leg with a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping in disappointment. "Yes, Master." He stated dejectedly.

"Orion!" Katlin turned back to him sharply. But she just as quickly turned a soft, warm smile down at Tets. "I'd love to have dinner with you too, Tets." She told him.

A quick smile replaced the little elf's sad expression, which just as quickly melted as he turned slowly to his master.

Orion stared down at him, then turned his eyes back to his lover.

"Katlin....."

Katlin met his stare with a hard one of her own. "Orion!"

Orion sighed in resignation as he turned back to Tets. "Fine. But would it be asking too much for you to serve before you 'join us'?"

"Oh, no, Master! Tets is happy to serve the Master and the Misses."

"Then kindly do so."

As the little elf disappeared, Orion sighed quietly as he walked into the room. This was certainly not going the way he had envisioned it.

"What's wrong?" Katlin asked as she followed closely behind him, noting his sigh.

Orion turned back to her with a small frown. "This was suppose to be dinner with 'you', Katlin. Not my house staff."

"And how many times have you ever even bothered having dinner with Tets?"

The frown remained on his face. "Plenty, for your information."

Katlin looked stunned. "Really?"

"The little bugger's actually very good at conversation." Orion admitted with a slight smile.

Katlin returned his smile. "Then I look forward to dinner even more."

Just then Tets reappeared in the room with two plates, which he carefully set on the table. As Orion held out Katlin's chair for her, Tets arranged a seat for himself, then unceremoniously plopped a plate up on the table for himself and quickly crawled up into his seat.

The dinner, much to Orion's chagrin, consisted mainly of Katlin talking to Tets, who proved to be as wonderful a dinner guest as Orion had eluded to. 

At the end of the meal, Tets dutifully cleared the table and disappeared as Katlin turned to Orion.

"You were right." She stated with a smile. "He's really very interesting to talk to."

Orion sighed as he leaned over the table on both arms. "Great." He stated forlornly. "You have more in common with my house elf than me."

Katlin looked up from setting her napkin back on the table. "Pardon?"

"Nothing." Orion replied with a another sigh. "Forget it."

But Katlin was prepared to do anything but. "Orion," she said sympathetically, "look, I'm sorry if I made you feel left out at dinner. It was just that...."

"It's fine, Katlin."

"Well, it must be something or you wouldn't have mentioned it."

Orion sighed again. "It's just that.....I thought we could....spend some time alone tonight."

"Orion, we spend a lot of time alone. Unless you've been hiding Tets in your bed somewhere."

"But that's just it." Orion pointed out. "The only time we seem to spend together is in bed."

Katlin's eyebrows went up. "You're complaining?"

"No! I just thought that tonight....we could do something...different."

"Back to that? All right. Aside from dinner, what else?"

Orion shrugged slightly as he seemed to think over the options. "I thought...perhaps....talk."

"Talk?" Katlin repeated, looking puzzled. "About what?"

"Well, for instance, do you realize I know almost nothing at all about you?"

Katlin's tone hardened slightly. "You know what you need to."

Orion paused slightly as he did his best to fend off her tone with a small smile. "But not as much as I'd like to."

Katlin sighed quietly as she leaned towards him over the table. "Orion, we get together, we have sex. What more is there you need to know about me for that?"

"For that, almost nothing." Orion agreed. "I mean, the sex is great, Katlin. You are....an incredible lover. But sex is not what I'm talking about here."

"Then what are you talking about? Because quite frankly, you've lost me."

Orion reached over and took hold of her hands in his. "I'm talking about us, Katlin. About our relationship."

Katlin snatched her hands back as though Orion had suddenly slapped them. "There is no 'relationship', Orion." She state firmly. "It's sex. Plain and simple. It's nothing too close. Nothing too personal. Nothing to serious. It can't be. Not between us."

"Fine." Orion replied. "But even for that, Katlin, we need.......we need something in common."

Katlin gave him another confused look. "We have something in common. We're great in bed together."

Orion fell silent for a moment. "Is that all you want?" He asked finally.

"It's what we agreed to."

"Is it all you want?"

"It's all I can have. With you."

"Is it all you want, Katlin? With me?"

Katlin sighed. The game was getting tiring. "We are what we are, Orion."

"Is it all you want with me?" He repeated.

"Why are you pressing that?"

"Why aren't you answering the question?"

"I have."

"You've done everything 'but'."

Just then Tets reappeared between them, looking over the edge of the table. "Is there anything else, Mast......."

Orion and Katlin both turned to the little elf.

"Out, Tets!"

Tets stood for a second in stunned silence, but then abruptly disappeared.

Orion turned slowly back to her. "Now listen to me, Love." He said softly. "You can have anything you want with me. But you have to want it."

Katlin seemed to think about what he said for a moment. But eventually she pulled her hands back, staring at them as she rested them in her lap.

"It will just complicate things, Orion." She replied in the same soft voice.

"But do you want it?"

Katlin slowly turned an exasperated stare to him. "Why aren't you happy with things the way they are anymore? What changed?"

"It's an empty relationship, Katlin." Orion tried to explain. "For what it's worth right now, you could be some....some woman I picked up off the street tonight. And I'm sorry if it isn't the same for you, but I've come to a point I need more than that with you. I want more than that with you."

Katlin continued to hold his stare. "To be more than just strangers."

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

"Things will change."

"I think for the better."

"I don't."

"Aren't you even willing to try?"

Katlin sighed loudly as she looked about the room. Anywhere but at the man seated across from her.

"Katlin?"

"You're simply asking for something I can't give you, Orion. I'm sorry if you never understood that."

"You're telling me that you can't have anything more than a superficial relationship with a man?"

"I'm saying 'what is the point'? Relationships are for a purpose, Orion. Why do I need to know what your favorite color is, or what you like to eat?"

"Blue. And olives. Preferably the ones at the bottom of a martini glass."

"Orion....." Katlin stated in exasperation. He just wasn't going to listen to reason.

Orion took hold of her hands again. "Katlin, would it really hurt to just get to know me?"

Katlin snatched her hands back again. But this time she stood up from the table as she literally glared down at the man before her. "Yes!" She snapped the answer back at him. "Because it always has. And it always will." Katlin grabbed her wrap off the back of the chair. "You call me when you're ready to accept this 'relationship' for what it is, Mr. Black."

And with a small 'pop' Katlin apparated from the room.

****

Q&A

SPOILERS ALERT!!!!!!!!!!

Although I try to be vague in my answers, there are spoilers in almost every one of them. If you told me you have not read the book specifically, I tried VERY hard not to spoil it for you and I apologize to anyone if I do unintentionally spoil the read for them. However, be forewarned that should you be one of the people who has not finished the book yet, and you do not want any inside information, your best bet is to avoid reading other's answers right now or proceed with extreme caution.

FairyTale: Why are you not surprised by my reaction to the 'incident'? (Hey! I like that too! I shall now also only refer to it as the 'incident'. 'Denial' isn't just a river in Egypt.)

The circumstances of reading might be different? I read it in four hours. How about you?

Right up to the chapter, I was utterly surprised and taken aback by the 'incident'. Never in a million years did I guess that was who would bite it. Never, never, never.

'How well worked out'? I have issues with that. I did not think this was her best book by any means. I was severely disappointed in it as a whole. I felt she could have covered basically the same ground in about a third less of the space. Instead she seemed desperate to spoon feed us every little bit of none essential information while keeping the really important matters hidden.

YES, YES, YES!!!!!! I couldn't agree more, FairyTale!!!!! Why!? Why, why, why introduce what was probably one of the best loved, most interesting, most intriguing, and well thought out characters to come along in a 'children's' book in ages, only to whack him two books later? This character barely even got going before he was killed off!!! I'm with you. She can take till doomsday to put out Book VI. I couldn't care less.

I too, was confused by the Pensive scene. Since Book I we have been spoon fed that Harry's father was nothing but a likeable geeky sort of person who liked to play harmless pranks. Then WHAM! Suddenly he's a mean, nasty, bully who picks on others for next to no reason at all. Granted, Siruis and Remus both pointed out very well that at the time they were all 15 and a pack of gits. Even Harry, now 15, is acting like a total twit. But still.......that's a large psychological leap to expect the younger generation reading this story to accept. You can not expect your basic eleven to thirteen year old to be able to accept that a character can go from being loveable and nice to being a bully in one book. It's a bit much to asked of anyone, I thought.

Secondly, all Harry ever thought of his father was destroyed. And suddenly he no longer wants anything to do with his memory. Another far stretch to asked us to accept.

Again, granted, he's a teenager and 15 year olds like to test their wings and start to live more independent of their parents, whether real or with their memory. But still, I thought that was a bit of a harsh way to bring about that separation and one that was uncalled for in tainting James' imagine that badly.

Did I miss something in my little 'Man, this blows and I can't wait to get done with it' read through, or did this kid once again skip the emotional loop altogether again? Did he shed so much as ONE tear over the 'incident' or really break down? All I read was him breaking things in Dumbledore's office and that was about it. (Well, the mirror and such, but still!)

As for the trivial information the funny little creature was passing on, I did not remember reading that. But then, I also read 890-something pages in four hours. You have to believe I missed a few things. (Nothing really important, I'm told.).

And now, for something completely different!

I have a theory, and please, people, feel free to comment on it. I shall be touting it proudly about at Nimbus2003.

Suppose.....just SUPPOSE, someone isn't really dead. 

'How', you ask? Easy. The person who went through the veil wasn't this person. 

(Many people get confused. Hand goes up in the back.)

'Ahhhh, Ms. PAR, If that wasn't 'youknowwho', then who was it?'

Good question. 

Two possibilities. One. It was Peter using Pollyjuice Potion. Why? Peter owed Harry a wizard's Debt, he might have wanted to clean the slate with his former friends, and he wasn't mentioned once that I could tell in the whole blasted book. Where was he?

Possibility two. It was a random Deatheater who was captured, given Pollyjuice Potion and put under an Imperious curse.

Where did I come up with this?

Too much caffeine and strong denial needs. Think about this. 'Youknowwho' was a very popular character. What purpose did his death serve? None. Not one, single, tiny, smidgen of purpose can be found in his death, although Rowling says there is one. 

Next, didn't you think for someone who survived all 'youknowwho' had, that he went a bit too easily, killed off by a secondary character?

Next, in my opinion, based on what we have seen of this character's personality, with someone he cared about a great deal in danger, 'youknowwho' would not likely have wasted time or effort taunting his advisory. 'Get the job done and get on with it' would have been more his philosophy.

Next, the poor kid deserves a break. Pure and simple.

So why was this elaborate charade carried out? 'Youknowwho' was unable to leave his current place of residence. We were told this over and over and how frustrated he was by it. He was, in a sense, as little an acting character to the story than he is now. I feel that perhaps Dumbledore came up with a plan to make Voldemort believe this character was dead so that he could once again move about freely without anyone looking for him, thinking him dead. 

Why put Harry through it? It had to look real. And Dumbledore is really good for keeping secrets, lets face it.

So, that's my theory. Points against it? Well, they say Rowling was really upset writing this death. You are rarely that upset if you know the character isn't really dead.

Next, she has said that once you're gone, you're gone in her books. (This despite the fact she has resurrected Harry's parents twice and Voldemort has more lives than one of Ms. Figg's cats.)

Lastly, we all have an inkling now of how the series is going to end, so what's the point in bringing him back?

Still, I think Ms. Rowling has done herself a grave mis-service with this book. I could, at one time, see Harry Potter as going down as one of the best children's (?) books ever written. Instead, I can see people twenty-five years from now sitting about saying, 'Well, it was a really good series up until Book V.'

As to your next review, what does it matter where, when, or why she adds new characters? She has too keep adding characters, seeing as she keeps killing off the old ones whenever the mood stri.........never mind.

It seemed to me that that whole scene was set up more to accommodate the character's death than was his death a part of the scene, if you know what I mean.

Actually, I think your comment about the archway has possibilities. But I'm still deeply in denial and coming up with my own theories.

In regards to the question about Orion's children, yes, I can see how you got that they weren't Katlin's, since I told you that. But how you went from 'A' to 'B' is a bit of a leap.

Oh, and, Dear, I never said you were right. (heeheehee.).

Don't be so sure Orin Bale doesn't stand up to Voldemort. Placed in a room together, I wouldn't be so fast to bet on who would come out after five minutes. Orin Bale did not get to be head of the Unspeakables by, as Charly put it so eloquently, sleeping with someone. He got there because he is a mean, nasty, cunning, sneaky, devious little SOB.

I'm sorry, Dear, but Charly not wanting Orion to have a relationship is indeed filed under the Duh reports (Duh!). And yes, he has done it before, and yes, he does have a reason, which you are about a hair's breath away from right now chapter-wise.

Keep in mind, Charly is not a wizard. He was not raised a wizard, and his view of things are going to be a bit 'muggle-tinted' in POV. To Orion, working with a partner in the Unspeakables is working with yourself. It has to be. Sometimes that is just how good you have to know your partner to keep yourself alive. If you're running off in one direction, spells are flying everywhere and ten Deatheaters are hot on your tail, and you are separated from your partner, who has run off in a separate direction, , your next move to staying alive may very well depend on you're being able to correctly answer the question, 'Now, if it was me, where would I be headed?'.

But for all he may want it to be, the simple fact remains that Charly is a muggle, and he reacts and thinks like one. No matter how well he hides it, he is what he is.

And no, Charly is not the sole reason Orion's relationships don't last more than a week usually. Orion is socially inept enough to end them by his own devices.

There was a tremendous amount of unwritten issues in that one small scene. Yes, Orion has just brought everything he believes in into question. He just destroyed a mission for his own department. He has, for the moment, put his own people in danger. He has no idea how Katlin will use that information, although he's banking on her using it to stay safe herself. He's just traded secrets for sex. Nothing to be proud of. Basically, he's just crossed a very dangerous line.

But to his credit, he did what he did with good intentions. He did not want Katlin to be hurt. That was first on his mind. Second, she had given him information, so it was a fair trade. And lastly, the final word on that attack isn't out yet.

You think you're confused now? Just wait.

Fantome: The situation between Orion and Katlin has gone way beyond harmless fun. This is true. But full implications have yet to be reached. Each of them will soon have to make very difficult choices as they decide where their priorities (and their loyalties) truly are.

Lost most of her adult audience? I have yet to find anyone under the age of fifteen who cares if she ever writes the next book now. (And a lot of people over the age of fifteen who feel the same.).

Indeed, since this character is now a 'cast-off', as far as I am concerned, he is public domain in a really big way.

I found Umbridge too much of a contrived character in what I saw of her (I read the book 'realllllly' fast.).

I don't know that Orion has alleviated any of his guilt over not telling Charly about Katlin. As for here come the problems, you haven't seen anything yet.

Eowyn: I'm sorry you feel you have to make that choice, Dear. But it is, after all, yours to make. Myself, I refuse to let anyone, even the author of the series I loved, destroy for me what has become a major part of my current life. I have a very good denial system and I am employing it at full throttle.

LONG LIVE AU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sailor Sol: I'm with you! I can go on happily reading fanfiction to the end of time and completely disregard that nasty old Book V.

Ohhhhhh, if you want to rescue him, might I suggest my theories in FairyTale's answer? They aren't half bad!

And by the way, thanks for giving me my disclaimer line for this posting. Appreciate it!

O.K., allow me to say this much about Charly Misser. Is he evil? That remains to be seen. But I am not Rowling, folks. At least that is what my drivers license says. And I do not wait until the middle of a story and then completely redo my characters personalities. They are what they are and they make decisions and take actions based on that. No somebody suddenly becoming a nasty person when we all thought they were sweet and loveable. I don't play that.

I was VERY disappointed in the outline of Sirius' family relations. But heavens! The inter-marrying certainly does explain a few people.

As for Rowling's version of Sirius' family eliminating Orion? Well, she's welcome to try. But PAR has a nice little flat in the AU universe and she does her writing there.

Ohhhh, there are so many good OotP stories out there on Fanfiction sites. Much better than that monstrosity Rowling gave us after three long years of waiting. 

werepup: Actually, the gap in the poll between 'Best book ever' and "Disappointed' is rapidly closing last time I looked.

So glad you liked the chapters, Dear.

I'll look for your story on the site.

sweets: I am glad things are making more sense now, Dear.

And yes, my stories are AU, and I am well within my rights to ignore Book V either in part or completely as I see fit.

Sorry, did not like the moody Harry. Too much of a personality change too fast. And that whole change at the beginning with the Dursley's was just right out. That was WAY too much of a change in everyone's personality for poor PAR to handle.

nessie: I found the whole write up of Sirius' family to fit in well witht he rest of the book. And that is NOT a compliment. It was not what I expected. I did not feel that it fit in with Sirius' personality. And I felt it was uncalled for and contributed nothing to the story. If Ms. Rowling wants to write realistic stories based on psychological development in her characters, I would highly suggest she get to know them a little better. Indeed, she had the whole 'teenage' thing with Harry going on very well, no matter how much I didn't like it and felt it contributed to the plot not one bit; but to have a character with Sirius' personality supposedly coming out of a family where he was looked down on, abased, and finally basically run off, was, to me, very unlikely. No child that put down on in his home life would have developed into the extrovert Sirius appeared to be while at Hogwart's.

And for a child who lived Harry's life, I'm sorry, but he came out a little too normal for my liking. I doubt someone who was abused, abased, and treated like he was, would suddenly grow a backbone and become a badass overnight.

I'm sorry, but when you love someone as much as Harry supposed loved this character, there needs to be at least one good, all out, reaching for the Kleenex crying scene. All he did was break things. Very disappointing.

And again, their meeting for the first time in this book was so much like it was in the others. The kid acts like Sirius has been living under his bed all summer.

She could kill Remus. She could kill Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, half the Weasley clan, Draco, Goyle, Lucius, a bunch of Deatheaters; heck, kill Harry for all I care. Anyone...ANYONE...but who she did.

Bad Rowling. Bad! Bad! No playing in the Gringotts value for a week!

You always knew Sirius was the handsome one in what, Dear?

skahducky: Oh, I don't know. He's had a rotten summer, and now he's facing the prospect of another 'kill or be killed' year at Hogwart's. I would think the kid, no matter how old he was, would at least give one good latch-on hug to the only person who seems totally dedicated to his well-being. Sort of that 'safe harbor' thing going on there.

I really can't wait to see how that whole 'Charly finding out' thing is going to be received. You're either going to really like what's going on behind the scenes, or I'm heading for a cyber lynching.

Nicky: Hi again, Nicky. Good to hear from you.

Orion is indeed digging himself in very deep. But bet well in advance that our boy has an ace to play yet. As for Katlin, she already gave a favor in trade. She showed Orion the information from her informant. Tit for tat.

I hesitate replying to your comments on the book, since I do not want to spoil it for you, so I will tread lightly.

Personally, I would no longer let anyone under the age of ten read Harry Potter. It has simply gotten too dark and distorted, in my opinion, for a ten year old to follow the plot changes. Child need consistency in a story. I feel that Harry Potter has completely chucked everything that came before right out the window and rearranged the whole of the plot based on character interaction. Basically, no one in this story is acting one bit like they did the book before. And I feel that that is a bit to much of a twist for children under ten to comprehend or accept.

I felt the whole 'incident' was uncalled for. To credit that character's death to being because they underestimated their opponent, (which indeed seems to be the case), is a travesty. Again you have the concept of the severe shift in character personality. No where in the first four books did I get the impression that this character was so overconfident of themselves that they would have taken into a situation such as they were in and reduced themselves to taunting their opponent. If anything, this character showed themselves to be overly cautious. Constantly warning Harry away from what they felt were dangerous on his part. I dimply find the character's behavior to be very....uncharacteristic.

I agree. I feel that Rowling has come to a point where she cares more for how much can she shock us than whether the situation does anything to advance the story line. For I felt that for such an important scene, it was very underrated within the whole of the story.

Silverfox: Yes, the 'dragon' is coming back. And personally, as things progress in my universe, I have high hopes for him being a well received character.

Personally, I pay for keeping track of my hits. But to each his own. I'm trying to beat out Kristen at ChamberofKeys against her artwork. But several people did mention the lost reviews thing, although I was totally unaware of it. Don't read the home page of Fanfiction.Net much.

I have no problem at all writing my stories despite the book. In my universe that book doesn't exist.

You know, that whole chapter 11 review was profound. I liked it. As for getting into or out of trouble, they tend to 'get into' more than they 'get out of'. As for their bosses, how they feel about the situation and its possible benefits remains to be seen.

What an interesting comment for chapter 12. I plead the fifth.

All answers are as of 06292003. Take a good look at me now. When next I post I will be a year older. And as always, if I missed you, please let me know. 


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Truth And Lies

A/N: You do remember back when I first started posting stories, I swore never to do these things, then I swore they were addictive, and now they just seem part of the story for me.

Also, I would like to extend congratulations to my brother and sister-in-law, who, after a seemingly endless parade of females into the family, just got word from the doctor that they are having a baby boy. So, Coonner (yes, I am told it is with two 'o's') William, welcome to the family.

And I need to give you a piece of information here you may have forgotten as to characters. Mostly because he's mentioned and you may not remember who he is. Lawrence Olivers is the man who founded the Department of Mysteries Unspeakables. Short, sweet, and too the point, he is not a man to mess around with.

Anyway, thanks for all the additional theories. I love reading those things. The best one rolling in this week was from whitemudfounder, who I agree with completely. Book V seemed more to lean towards Rowling just seeing how much she could shock her readers. I mean honestly! What was the woman doing? Just standing about staring at her typewriter one day thinking....'I'm bored. I think I'll kill off a highly popular, positive character for absolutely no good reason'?

Oh well.

So here's to JK Rowling, last seen looking very bored. And to Remus Lupin, last seen looking very nervous.

As always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Although Enemies is in and of itself an original story, and the writer made all the right sacrifices on the alter of The Great Guru Of Writing to get this thing finished, she is still required to report that anything even remotely Harry Potter belongs to JK 'I'm bored, where's Lupin?' Rowling and her mercenary publishers.

****

Chapter Thirteen: Truth And Lies

****

The morning after his dinner with Katlin, Orion arrived at work looking for Charly. Not only was he looking for a good sounding board for how things had gone the night before, but his partner was due back from his mission today and Orion was as eager as ever to hear how things went. He hated when Bale sent them out alone. He always felt like he was missing out on half the fun and it usually guaranteed him being stuck with desk work until Charly got back.

When the end of the day rolled around and Charly hadn't returned, Orion tried not to make much of it. It was difficult to set any clock by one's missions. One of a thousand different things could crop up to delay a mission or speed it up. Orion knew that better than anyone. But Charly was usually fanatical for checking in. At least with his partner.

The next morning Orion arrived at work only to be almost immediately escorted to his Department Head's office. Never a good start to any day.

Sitting in the office, Orion had practically memorized the man's walls by the time Bale showed up.

"I hope this isn't going to take long." Orion stated as Bale seated himself behind the desk. "I probably have a fire full of messages from Charly asking why I haven't messaged back yet."

Bale looked up at his agent with a grim expression. "I don't think so, Black."

Orion caught the man's look immediately. "Why? What's going on?"

"I just came from St. Andrews. Charly Misser was brought there last night."

"Charly?" Orion as out of his chair in a second, leaning over Bale's desk. "My partner!? Is he all right? What happened? Has he said yet?"

Bale let the man in front of him vent off a tidal wave of questions before even bothering to try an answer so much as one. For any of his agents, the news their partner had been injured was something that was always met with shock and a flood of questions. But Black and Misser always seemed to take it more personally than most. As close as the two were linked, he was actually a bit surprised that Orion wasn't already aware of the situation. 

"Misser was attacked coming off his mission." Bale explained when Orion finally settled back into his seat and looked a bit more like he was ready to listen to him again. "At least that's the most we got out of him the other night. Department de-briefers are with him right now sorting the whole story out."

"De-briefers?" Orion sneered. "Can't those jackals even give him one day's rest?"

"That's not procedure, Black, and you know it."

"He's a muggle, Orin!" Orion stated, coming to his feet again in front of his office head. "He needs a bit more time to recuperate before facing the department's friendly interrogators."

"They're not interrogators, Orion. And they have a job to do. Questioning someone right after an incident gives us the best recounting of what happened. Even Charly, as a muggle, will tell you that. And I wouldn't be so fast to try and sell that 'muggle' line on Charly Misser either. I'd stand that man up in front of Lawrence Olivers and defy him to call the man that anymore. Misser's every bit as good a wizard as most in this department. So stop coddling him every time he has to submit to the same procedures as everyone else. I won't allow it and he wouldn't want it."

Orion switched the line of questions as quickly as if he hadn't heard one thing Bale had said. "Who?" He asked in a low voice. "Who attacked my partner?"

Bale paused for a minute. He knew how well the answer would be taken. "Deatheaters." He finally replied. 

Orion's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Deatheaters?"

"Misser claims they caught him in an ambush. From the sound of things, Misser was lucky to get out of it alive. He had a Tag left from the mission. Used it to apparate to the Department."

Orion was already out the door before Bale could say anything more to him.

Charly gave a loud, disgruntled moan as he fought off the effects of the sedative they had given him. All he knew for sure at that moment was that his head hurt and the rest of him didn't feel much better.

"Well, that proves you're alive." A voice came from the side of his bed, trying desperately to sound cheerful.

Charly shifted his gaze to where the voice had come from. Sitting next to the bed, looking as worried as he ever remembered seeing him, was his partner.

"Merlin's Beard!" Charly exclaimed, closing his eyes tightly. "That's it then! I died. And I know just where I went."

"Now is that any way to greet your faithful partner?"

Charly rolled back over on the bed with a grimace of pain. "What I can't understand, Black, is why you aren't at my house right now cleaning out my liquor cabinet while you have the chance?"

"Been there. Done that. Got more?"

Charly looked him over, thinking hard. "But your sober. How long have I been here exactly?"

"A fortnight. The whole Department had a party at your place, by the way, to celebrate."

"Wouldn't put it past the Blighters. Seriously," Charly sighed, "how long have they had me here?"

"Bale says you were brought in just last night." Orion replied in a good deal more somber tone. "Said you got attacked by Deatheaters and used a Tag to apparate back to the Department. They brought you here from there."

"That sounds about right."

Orion's expression shifted back to concern. "What happened, Charly?" He asked.

"Where have you been? You just told me, for pity's sake! Pay attention, Black!"

But Orion continued to stare at him past a worried expression. "I expected to come in today to a bunch of messages about where we were going to go tonight to celebrate your putting another notch in your wand, and spend half the night listening to you tell me a bunch of lies about how many Deatheaters you put away. Not coming into find my partner is in the hospital because he was ambushed by said Deatheaters."

"Things happen, Orion." Charly replied quietly.

"I know things happen, Charly. They've just never happened to you before. Not like this. Alone, for magic's sake! What was Bale thinking!?"

"No one expected the Deatheaters to be tracking this mission, Orion. We didn't even think they knew about it. It was very low key, for heavens sake. Nothing they should have even taken notice of. So don't go blaming The Idiot Bale for this one. The Deatheaters had a tip-off, that's all."

"A tip-off?"

"We have informants. They have informants. That's how the game is played, partner. Theirs were better than ours this time."

Orion sat silently staring back at his partner for a few moments. "I suppose so." He finally replied softly, getting to his feet as Charly tried to stifle a yawn. "All right, the nurse said I wasn't allowed to stay long. I just wanted to check if I needed to put in a requisition for a new partner."

Charly only gave him a half-hearted wave as Orion slipped out the door. 

As Charly walked down the corridor on his return to the Department a few days later, he was subjected to a good deal of back slapping and light-hearted ribbing by other agents, all aimed at proclaiming how the 'great Charly Misser had single-handed taken on the Deatheaters and got his arse thumped one good'.

By the end of the day Charly swore that if he had heard that line once he had heard it a thousand times, with the same people repeating it a couple of hundred times on their own. In addition he would have sworn his back was sorer than the night he had been brought into St. Andrews.

The only person who hadn't joined in the fun throughout the day was the man who now stood at the end of the corridor waiting to see him home.

"So," Charly asked as he walked up to his partner, "why weren't you joining in the festivities today? Or are you just waiting till everyone else was done?"

Orion directed him to the doors. "For one; I didn't find it funny, and two; I didn't think you looked like you could take one more person slapping you on the back."

Charly grimaced at the thought. "And my back thanks you."

"I thought it might." Orion replied. "All right then," He added, landing his hand across his partner's back, "ready to go home?"

Charly practically fell forward. But Orion managed to grab him just in time.

"Couldn't resist?" Charly asked, righting himself.

"Something like that." Orion answered with a slight grin. "Ready to go?"

"Go?"

"Bale asked me to put you up for a few days. Until you were feeling more stable......physically."

"Orion," Charly protested, "I'm fine. Really."

"That's why you nearly kissed the floor back there?"

"I wasn't expecting it."

"And oddly enough, Charly, that is how most accidents happen. Now let's go."

"Orion, my house elves can see to me."

Orion gave the comment a derisive snort. "The only reason you have house elves, Charly Misser, is to have someone to play poker with. Those little buggers of yours would walk right over you if you fell down in front of the refrigerator."

Charly gave him a wistful smile. "God bless 'em. I've taught 'em well, haven't I?"

"Corrupted them, is more like it." Orion rubbed his fingers over the bridge of his nose. "Charly, house elves are suppose to be....well, like Tets."

"Tets! That miniature green James Bond impersonator you have living with you? I'll take my drunken poker buddies any day of the week to that one, I will."

"He gets the job done."

"Been meaning to ask you about that, mate. Where does the little blighter hide the bodies?"

Orion took hold of Charly's arm. "Will you just come on. Tets will love to have you."

Charly pulled free. "For what?"

"According to Bale, about a week."

"Orion," Charly protested again, "I'm fine."

"No, you're not. Charly, you spent more time today sitting at your desk than you have in the entire time I've known you. Now, you still in pain. You need to be somewhere that you'll have someone to pick you up off the floor instead of walk over you....."

"My back hurts." Charly replied indignantly. "They'd walk around me, not over me."

"How considerate of them. Just the same, your coming home with me."

"Shouldn't you be trying to get me drunk first before you try to take me home?"

Orion gave a slight pull on his arm, directing him to the doors. "Will you just come on."

"What about your fluff?" Charly asked. "I'll be crimping your time being there."

"Fluff isn't around right now." Orion stated, mentally wondering if 'fluff' would ever be about again. "And it wouldn't matter anyway. Fluff is fluff. Your my partner."

"Probably wouldn't matter." Charly replied.

"How's that?"

Charly dug into his pocket and pulled out a small bottle. "They gave me these at St. Andrews. Said something about alcohol increasing the sedatory effects." He replied with a smile. "I figured I could take them at bedtime with a bottle of scotch."

Orion snatched the bottle out of his hand. "What are they going on with giving you pain pills?"

"Had to see a muggle doctor." Charly replied. "All the Medi-wizards were tied up. He gave me those."

Orion quickly pocketed the pills. "I'll brew you up a nice potion at the house. All right?"

"Long as it has scotch in it, fine." Charly replied, following his partner out the doors. 

Late in the evening, after having sent Charly off for a mid-evening nap, Orion heard the anti-apparation alarms go off. He had put additional blocks in place to stop anyone from being able to apparate into the house while Charly was there. The last thing he needed was Katlin apparating into the foyer right in front of Charly.

Based on how she had left a few nights before, Orion wasn't sure when he would see her again, but he certainly had not expected it to be so soon. What he was certain of was that her mood was likely not going to be a good one. And matched against his own at the moment, it did not have the makings of a pleasant evening.

Orion waited at the front doors, certain the anti-apparation spell wasn't going to put Katlin off. He kept a close watch on the stairs while he waited. But just shortly after the alarm had sounded, he opened the front door to a peevish knock.

Before she so much as could say anything, Orion grabbed Katlin by the hand and pulled her out of the front foyer and into the back of the house. But once they got into a secluded room, and quite tired already of being dragged about without one word of explanation, Katlin quickly pulled her hand free. But the scowl she met as Orion turned to face her tempered her own anger a little bit.

"What's going on?" She asked, trying to keep her voice sounding level and not betraying any of her own annoyance at her reception as she tossed her cloak onto the back of the sofa. "Why wasn't I allowed to apparate inside?"

"Charly's here." Orion answered her in a slightly curt sounding tone. "I couldn't risk your apparating into the foyer when he might happen to be passing through."

"Charly?" Katlin questioned, her annoyance from the other evening losing ground to the new situation. "What is your partner doing here?"

"Currently? Recovering."

Katlin gave him a puzzled look. "Recovering? From what?"

Orion's scowl deepened considerably. "He was attacked a few days ago. Ambushed. By Deatheaters."

Katlin's expression shifted rapidly from surprise to complete neutrality. How dare he throw this up at her!

"That's business." She stated flatly.

"That's my partner." Orion fired back in a heated voice.

"He's an agent." Katlin replied. "An Unspeakable. That comes with certain risks, Orion."

"He's my partner!" Orion repeated.

"It's business." Katlin tried to remind him. "And you know the rules, Orion. You made them."

"This has nothing to do with 'rules'. This is my partner!"

"So because he's your partner that should grant him some special immunity? It doesn't give you any. Why should it be so for him?"

"Your people did this!"

Katlin physically drew back at the accusation. It wasn't just what had happened, or that it had been Charly, or that the Deatheaters had been involved. He was angry at her. He was blaming her for what had happened.

"What do you want from me, Orion?" She asked. She was pushing the words across to him now. "You want me to say I'm sorry? I wouldn't be. He is our enemy. He is my enemy."

"Then I'm yours as well."

Katlin was struggling now not to let her anger get the better of her. "This has nothing to do with us, Orion."

"It has everything to do with us."

"And what then?" She asked, a bit of her growing irritation showing through in her voice. "Every time your partner gets injured, I'm going to get held personally to blame for it? I wasn't there, Orion. I had nothing to do with this."

Orion stood silently before her, but Katlin could tell that none of his anger had dissipated in the least. If anything, he was growing angrier by the minute. His hands were held rigidly at his sides and his jaw was firmly set.

"Fine." Katlin stated, picking up her cloak from the back of the couch. "I'm not going to stay here tonight just to be the target of your anger. You enjoy your evening, Mr. Black. And I can see myself out, thank you."

Orion watched her go without moving an inch to stop her. Though every part of his body screamed at him to go after her, his pride kept him firmly rooted to the spot. He heard the front door slam shut, echoing his own anger. She hadn't even stayed to discuss the matter. She had walked out. On him!

Charly came walking into the room just as a large vase went sailing across the room. He watched it meet an untimely end against the far wall before venturing any further into the room.

"Better now?" He asked.

Orion stood leaning against the mantle of the fire place, his head resting on the small shelf.

"Not really."

"That was quite a show." Charly said.

Orion looked up. "Show?" A frightening thought suddenly shoved his anger aside for the moment. "You didn't see....?"

Charly quickly shook his head as he held his hands up. "Hey, mate, I know when not to come into a room. I only got the sound track."

Orion breathed an inward sigh of relief. He had enough to sort out. He didn't need Charly's having seen Katlin added to the mix.

Orion managed a small smile for his partner. "Sorry we disturbed you, Charly. Little 'lovers spat' is all."

"Lovers spat?" Charly questioned. Directing his wand at the shattered vase, he quickly repaired it and sat it back on the mantle next to Orion, who eyed it with irritation. "Sounded more like a flat out row to me, mate. And I was upstairs and down the hall."

Orion sighed loudly.

"Look," Charly offered helpfully, "I don't want to be an imposition here. I can just clear out, really. Go back to my own place."

"Charly, the fight wasn't about you being here." Orion put in quickly past a weary sigh. "It was about.....something else."

Charly paused for a moment as he watched his partner staring silently into the fire. Unfortunately, he had been too far away to hear much of the argument. So he had no real idea what had started it. But the tone had spoken volumes, literally. Apparently things between his partner and his fluff weren't as smooth as he thought. And that was indeed good news.

"Care to talk about it?" Charly offered.

Orion only shook his head.

Charly gave him a few moments to change his mind. It wasn't unusual for Orion to insist he didn't want to talk about something, and then abruptly launch off into an hour long dissertation on the matter. But this time he remained silent.

"All right then, mate." Charly said finally. "I'm off to bed. But you let me know if you change your mind."

"Good night, Charly." Orion replied as Charly headed for the door.

A small smile played across Charly's lips. But he quickly masked it behind a concerned stare as he stopped at the door for one more glance back at his partner. "Good night, Orion." He answered before slipping back off to his room.

Charly spent the next three days at Orion's house before finally convincing his partner that he was well enough to return to his own home, swearing he would let the Department's Medi-wizard come by at least once more to check on him before releasing him back to work.

On the fourth night Orion answered a knock on his door late in the evening to find Katlin standing there.

"I took down the anti-apparation barriers." He told her simply, walking back into the front foyer without bothering to invite her in.

"That's not what I was worried about barring me from the house." Katlin replied as she followed him inside.

Orion stopped short. He took a deep breath before he turned to face her. There was no anger in her expression at all. If anything, she looked deeply concerned about something as she stood carefully fingering the small diamond pendent around her throat. A habit Orion had learned usually meant she was very nervous.....or worried.

"If I didn't want you here, I would remove the spell from the pendent." He replied.

Katlin didn't answer him. Instead she simply stood silently in front of him, still fingering her necklace.

"All right," he sighed finally, "you have something on your mind. Out with it."

Katlin paused for a moment, then slowly turned her eyes back to him as she seemed to steel herself up. "Orion, I did some checking.........on Charly's story about the ambush."

Orion narrowed his eyes slightly, but said nothing.

"I want you to hear me out." Katlin put in quickly.

"All right." Came the short, sharp answer.

"Orion, I checked with every group in this area, and a few outside this area, and I went through every report turned in within the time span that Charly claims the attack took place." 

"Why?"

"Because his story didn't ring true to me."

"Why not?"

"It was too random, Orion. What? He was just walking home and they attacked him? We don't operate that way."

"He was on a mission."

"Not one that we knew of."

Orion stared at her for a minute. Suddenly he didn't like where this was going. "So, you checked. What did you find?"

Katlin took a short, deep breath. "Orion, there were no reports of any attacks on any Aurors during that time period. In fact, there haven't been any attacks at all in the past month. No attacks, no talk, no rumors. Nothing."

"So they didn't report it and they're not talking about it."

"Orion, if any Deatheater attacked Charly Misser and injured him that badly, they'd be spray-painting it on the walls of the lair for the others to see. It would be a badge of honor for them. A very LARGE badge."

"Charly survived. Voldemort would likely not be very pleased."

"That one of us not only put your partner on the injured list for several weeks, but in doing so sidelined you as well? He'd be thrilled!"

Orion stood staring silently at her, his mind working furiously for an answer.

"Orion," Katlin said softly, "he is your partner. If he was in that serious of a situation, why didn't he call for help. Why didn't he call you?"

Orion fixed his gaze on her. "You're suggesting he didn't tell the truth about the attack."

"I'm saying he outright lied about it." Katlin answered carefully, watching her lover's expression for any reaction before making her next statement. "Orion, it never happened."

The reaction was exactly what Katlin expected. For the briefest moment a look of confusion crossed her lover's face. Then outright denial. Then the ever passive, emotionless stare. 

"Then tell me why." Orion stated. "Why make up such a story? It served no purpose whatsoever."

Katlin looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'm not sure." She said eventually. "But if he lied, Orion, and about something like this, there had to be a reason."

"One would hope so."

"We know something happened." Katlin said, working through the problem. "That much is a fact. What he doesn't seem to want anyone to know isn't that something happened, but 'what'."

"And the next question," Orion continued, "is 'why'."

Katlin turned her eyes back to him. "He's lying to you, Orion. Plain and simple."

"He's my partner." Orion shot back. "You don't understand what that means. And all I've heard is your side of things. I haven't heard his yet."

"It should prove fascinating." Katlin replied dryly. "Do let me know what other lies he comes up with to tell you." And with a small 'pop' she disappeared.

Orion stood for several minutes in the foyer. If everything Katlin had said was true, then Charly had indeed outright lied. And not only to him, but to the Department as well. 

But why? What could have been so important that he lied about it? 

But Orion's thoughts quickly shifted over to the other possibility. One he didn't like thinking about any better than the first. What if Katlin was the one who was lying? What if a report had been made? What if she had lied about that? 

But for what reason? Sowing dissention in the ranks? Getting him to not trust his partner? To try and persuade him over to the side of the Deatheaters? What was she planning on trying to do? Convert the whole Department one agent at a time? 

But Orion hadn't felt any lie in her.

That brought him back to Charly.

Orion shook his head and headed for the stairs. It had been a long day and he wasn't in the mood to try and sort things out just then. He would have to wait until he heard Charly's explanation.

Q&A (Yay!)

(PAR just felt like making a little rhyme.)

Roll: Ohhhhh, PAR is sorry, Dear. I did not mean to miss you! But Dear, when you're just a little roll on the dinner table of life, it is easy to be overlooked. Poor Semmel.

Don't glare at your computer, Dear. It wasn't it's fault what silly Fanfiction.net does.

O.K.. Because I missed you, Roll, I will answer what you asked even through it goes against one of my almost written in stone rules not to foreshadow in my Q&A (But what am I if not flexable, hey? Rules are so restricting, after all. No?) 

First, no, Charly is not evil. He has a very good reason for what he is doing. And as the story goes on, long before you judge him (aka Aaron Reynolds, people. We ALL remember that little scenario, don't we?) keep that in mind. Good! Reason!

Next, NOT jealous. Has nothing to do with that.

Finally, he's not trying to save Orion's heart from being broken. He's trying to save his life.

Now, to the dragon. That dragon, Dear, is so important to this story, it's well beyond anything anyone even came close to. Trust me, he will be back, and he plays a VERY important part in Orion's life.

On to Book V.

I don't think she was out of her mind exactly. As I said, I think the whole 'incident' was a glaring misprint that they just haven't caught yet and will be corrected in the second printing. *PAR goes merrily skipping down to her local book dealer to get the a copy of the second printing and quickly scans the pages.* Dang! Still haven't caught it. O.K.. I'm sure they'll catch it in the third printing. These things take time. I understand.

18 hour reading marathon?! Good heavens, Roll! Did you know your own name at that point or were we at the 'relying on some form of personal identification' point?

Yes, indeed, I find the way other people show no respect for others to be annoying. I mean, yes, I understand the need for people to purge their souls of troubling things, and thank God for giving writers such a wonderful way to do it (we write). But people, would it have hurt you to have written your stories/eulogies/ poems/farewells/alternate ending/explanations/general ranting sessions disguised as stories/Book V rewrites and spell checked them for a week or something? Oh, well.

We are extremely close to the when Charly finds out about the 'Katlin is a DE' business. Actually, you get a little closer each week. Funny how that works out.

Werepup: I understand preoccupied, Dear. That's O.K..

whitemudfounder: Well, thank heavens we now know who discovered white mud!

Anyway, I believe I've seen the name before, Dear. Nice to hear from you again.

Dear, PAR certainly does not object to another 'I love you, PAR'. I'll take all I can get.

And just for clarification (and credit), I did not coin that term, FairyTale did. Credit where credit is due.

DEAR?! With all the chat rooms, sites, people on the street who DO know what Harry Potter is about, why would you waste time ranting at someone who knows nothing at all about it?

By the way, where is that rock your sister has been living under?

O.K., points for your side. I will give some credence to the possibility that in the end Harry will use all his pain/grief/humanity to overcome Voldemort. However, I would like to point out that the kid didn't appear terribly grief-stricken to me at all. Angry? Yes. Upset? Maybe. Grief-stricken. Still waiting.

His whole reaction to me was more of a 'I trip and fell over in the mud and now I'm all dirty, dang' sort of reaction. I think, quite frankly, that JK Rowling wrote that having lost touch with what someone would ultimately feel in that situation. Yes, when some dies, people feel angry, upset, betrayed, and even resentful. But where was the grief? She got all of the first emotions in there and left out the last one.

As for complicated, yes, PoA probably had one of the most complicated plots I've seen in a long time. But also, unfortunately, I felt it was her last good book. She really hit her stride with PoA. GoF was long, but a bit 'plot simple' in my opinion. You could see a lot of it coming. I just see the woman going the way of Anne Rice. She wrote a few really good books, but by The Tale Of The Body Thief, she should have quit and sat on her millions. After that it was sort of a 'I'm bored, I think I'll write a book' thing. Her other books were very lackluster next to the original series.

Now, I'm not saying that JK Rowling should have stopped at PoA. Of course she couldn't. But she needs to stop relying on shock tactics to get our attention and get back to just writing a good, suspenseful story.

As for her having balls. Perhaps. But she needs to learn how properly display them.

Skahducky: Well, if you want to rate this by who has a point, we'll be here all day. They both have valid arguments for where they do (or do not) think the situation should be headed. Orion, bless his little black heart, feels that staying the way they are is a bit pointless, while Katlin feels that adding anything more to the situation is equally as pointless. So currently it's a bit of a tug of war. Who wins I guess depends who pulls hardest for their side.

What?! That one armed thing? You call that a hug? Boy! Are you a cheap date!

So glad you liked the chapter.

Silverfox: Thank you for the condolences, Dear. And to my knowledge, no, she did not suffer.

Tets actually got quite a good vote from the readership. And he is quite an interesting fellow. But Tets has many interesting talents. Mostly....being annoying. And like the dragon, he will be back. He is, in fact, in Family Relations briefly. Poor Harry.

Stupid Austrian? I've never heard of an Austrian referred to as stupid. Quite the contrary. 'Plead the fifth' is an American term used in court. It means (basically) 'I could say something, but if I do, I'll only end up confirming what you already know is the truth, so why bother?'

Everybody's waiting for when Charly finds out. Heavens! I hope that chapter lives up to expectations!!!!!!!! Especially with what comes before it.

Sailor Sol: Thank you, Dear. My birthday, spent mostly in bed or at my computer, was very nice.

Oh, and the confetti was a nice touch. Thank you.

Actually, Orion treats Tets exactly like what he is. An annoying little green house elf who is WAY too sophisticated.

Your comment was very good. That's why I stol.......BORROWED it for my disclaimer. Sometimes my readers just come up with things that are way better than anything I could think up.

Actually, there is a nasty little rumor out there that said that Rowling simply browsed fanfiction sites, gathered a bunch of stuff together and wrote the book. Certainly reads that way. However, I'll go with whitemudfounder on one thing. The woman seems far more interested this go round in how much she could shock us than in writing a story with even the remotest amount of similarity to the first four books.

Actually, my little apartment is quite nice. I have all I need here. Books. Computer. A 'Favorites' connection right to a ton of stories that either theorize why someone isn't dead or outright deny it. Boy, I love this place!

Nicky: Oh, indeed! What would the story be if you didn't get some idea of what makes the characters tick. But yes, indeed, there is a whole chapter dedicated to our dear Katlin and her past and what brought her to where she is as well as what makes her such a good little Deatheater. 

You LIKED it?! You're a person in need of help, Dear.

Grief better come later, or this kid is headed for 'snippering from the rooftops' on the eleven o'clock news.

In regards to your feelings on Harry's acting out of character, yes, I felt it was a bit over- exaggerated. But where were everyone else's ragging hormones in all this? Ron and Hermione barely showed any change at all let alone from one very awkward kiss. And if I remember right, that was only on the cheek.

I totally do not agree with the Sirius being off his rocker theory. I think throughout the story the man acted actually somewhat in character. One of the few. But I would like to read these reviews. They sound terribly amusing.

As that I breezed through this book at a rate that broke most land speed records, I can not comment on the next two things you pointed out as that I do not remember reading them. However, I will say that what I read of Molly Weasley's comments to Sirius throughout the book, I thought most were uncalled for (can you say OOC?). And no one ever claimed Sirius and Snape had a good relationship. But I do think the way Snape badgered Sirius about it without Dumbledore ever really stepping in was a bit strange. I would have expected Dumbledore at some point to have stepped up and basically slapped Snape on the nose with a rolled up newspaper.

The bubblegum wrapper.......it was nice, but it failed to do much for me.

Sirius' loneliness at the end of the Christmas holidays? I have to go back and read that part.

I stand solid on my Sirius theory. In regards to the 'incident', I simply can not believe anyone would do that to a character who was so well developed and loved for absolutely no good reason. The whole scene was so pointless it still irks me. But I hold tight to my belief we have not seen the last of him.

The whole Umbridge thing I agree with you on, but with the added comment that for me it just continued to help slant the book ever further away from the original idea and made it harder and harder for me to remember what story I was reading.

The Harry/Cho chapter was one of those I looked at briefly, said 'Why bother?', and moved on. From what I have heard of it, I did not miss much.

As for awarding points at the end....applause, applause. I couldn't agree more on everything you said. I'm sorry to all the Harry fans out there, but the kid needed to take his share of the blame this time around, not points.

Harry and Sirius spent one month and the Christmas holidays together, and they didn't have but two small scenes alone............or any type of real interaction........one good heart-to-heart talk.............ever come even near breaking through that superficial at best relationship they had...................show one real emotion towards each other (well, Harry had that whole 'hate the world' thing going, but that doesn't really count)............and I still haven't gotten one good hug from either one of them. Oh, well.

I can see Snape getting angry over Harry intruding into his Pensive. Pensives are very private things. Like reading someone's diary. But I agree. To stop the lessons was a bit strict. And where was Dumbledore for this. Surely he knew Snape stopped the lessons.

Harry has to kill Voldemort. Yeah. Knock me over with a feather, folks. Didn't see that one coming. Although there is a lot of confusion it seems about the prophecy from what I have read in reviews. Some believe that Harry has to kill Voldemort. I side with those that say according to how Rowling wrote it, they both have to die. That one can not live without the other and vice versa.

The bit on house elves was Canon. And yes, I think Hermione should have known it since I think Dobby said it in front of her. Another such errors are already being listed on Mugglenet.com and are quite interesting.

I don't tend to feel bad about the character that died. It is, after all, only a story. *PAR repeats that a few hundred times to self. Fells better. Goes on.* What annoyed me so badly about it was that the scene seemed to contribute nothing to the overall plot of the story. And this is my basic gripe of the whole book. It seemed very loosely put together, characters were very 'out of character', we were given very little lead in to these drastic changes in personalities, and every dramatic happening seemed more written to shock the readers than to help move the story line along. All in all, I am not awaiting Book VI with the same eager anticipation I awaited the others.

nessie: Poor nessie. I'll let you hold onto an arm of the un-named character plushy that I stol.....borrowed from Whisp if it'll help.

I never considered Sirius to be arrogant, or snobbish, or anything Rowling portrayed him as in Snape's Pensive. Granted, he was fifteen then. But I also thought he would have been handling himself with a bit more decorum than to come off as simply a boring, waspish putz.

Not one tear, not one word about it really to anyone but Hagrid afterwards, no deep feeling of regret or grief. I mean, did the kid care at all? All he did was get angry that someone he leaned on wasn't there for him anymore. Spit! Life is hard!

I think Dumbledore cried because he read the book. *Ohhhhh, that was just cruel!*

UnrepentantReader: 'Somehow Charly's advice isn't going to go quite the way he thought it would'. And sometimes you people get so close to the truth it scares me. This statement is going to play itself out in ways I doubt you're expecting, Un. Just wait and see. You think Orion and Katlin are in deep?

Again, I'm not so much upset over the death as I am over the fact that for one, it seemed utterly pointless to the story other than to shock the reader, and that Rowling seems to be teasing us with it. Both things I find completely annoying. I don't like being played with by a writer or treated like I am simply a few extra dollars in her bank account. Basically, I have lost a tremendous amount of respect for the lady and her work.

Tets is without a doubt a good little character. I basically needed him for some comic relief because I felt the story was beginning to drag and needed a little lift. So Tets was invented to fill the void. I also thought Orion needed someone to keep him on his toes when he's at home. Sort of like Peter Seller's Pink Panther character and his houseboy.

I love writing Orion and Katlin's dialogue. They definitely have some good discussions.

The relationship is definitely a train running a greased rails. Whether or not either of them can get a handle on it remains to be seen.

Thank you for the congratulations.

And thank you for the condolences.

Good heavens! You and Nicky need to get together on your opinions of Sirius and Mrs. Weasley! She has many of the same issues with those two!

I'm not sure about Hermione becoming a Mary Sue, but she is getting more annoying by the second. And there were very few characters in this story that I couldn't wait to get away from. Every character below the age of eighteen (with the exception of the twins) seemed to have lost any spec of lovableness they ever had in them. They most all came off acting like teenagers with bad-ass attitudes. I found the whole hormone thing way over-played and, in essence, seeming to run the whole story. It was different at first. Then it just got annoying.

I think the interaction that threw me the worst, and pretty much set the tone of the whole story for me was Harry talk with Dudley. I don't know why exactly, but that really threw me.

Throughout this whole story, I felt Dumbledore was essentially made out to be some doddering old fool right up to the end who couldn't see the forest through the trees.

As mentioned, I was tired of bad-ass Harry by the first chapter.

I agree. I find the actions of the victim of the incident on the whole to be....stupid. He was always a 'get in, get the job done, and get out' sort of person. Here he was some stupid idiot flying about, taunting his opponent, who took perfect advantage of his arrogance. I'm sorry. That's so out of character for that person I can't even accept it.

I simply had far too much trouble accepting the 180 Rowling did on Sirius and James. I agree, it seemed to serve no other purpose than to shock us. For four books we have listened to everyone from Hagrid to half the wizarding world population telling Harry how wonderful his parents were. Well, apparently James was a jerk, Sirius was an arrogant snob, and Lily hated her future husband so much he had to try to bribe her to go out with him. Sure. After four books to the contrary, I can accept that. No problem. 

Pffffffffffft!

Ohhhhhhh, I liked that, Un. 'The only good popular kid is a dead one'. Being popular, smart, or good looking does seem to target you as wand fodder in Rowling's world. I wonder how long before we find out Cedric was an undercover Deatheater who sold drugs?

Actually, the plot holes and errors already found by readers and listed on Mugglenet.com's web page are pretty good. But I agree about the Hermione and the house elf issues. In this story she acted like she had never even encountered one before.

I'm sorry. I found very little in this book that not only didn't enchant me as the others had, I was so bored by it I read it in four hours flat. Someday I may go back and dedicate more time to it, but right now I'm of the opinion, 'Why bother?'

Sadly, I agree. Ron went from being my least liked of the trio to being my favorite here. Why? He was the only one of the three that stayed the most in character from Book IV.

There was a lot that Dumbledore did here that I either read or heard about later that I have to wonder 'why' or 'where was he'. All in all, I felt he came across more as a doddering old fool in this book than any other.

Rowling keeps saying that what happened in Book V, especially the 'incident', had a reason. Well, she certainly has her work cut out for her in my opinion if she's going to try and pull all this together and have it make any sense at all, let alone be justified.

sweets: Thank you for the condolences, Dear.

And the birthday wishes.

Well, I have no intention of dumping poor Sirius in the RIP bin. And the writer poll out there seems to be split 50/50. Half are writing Canon while the others are explaining away the 'incident' as not being what it seems. If I acknowledged it at all, I would be in the latter category.

Good heavens, they've killed Spock, Kirk, and McCoy off so many times....and lets face it, if you wore a red security shirt, you were just phaser fodder.

Whenever Starship Enterprise sees danger,

When Klingons from the treaty go astray,

Whenever there's a slightly hostile stranger,

What is it Captain Kirk will always say?

Get....me...se----curity, 

Those guys you always see,

They fight and die in almost every scene.

They fight and always loose.

That is the life they choose,

So Shatner's uniform stays nice and clean.

(To the tune of 'Those were the days my friend' for those of you who are interested. And my apologies for massacring someone's filk song. It's been a while since I sang this one. Don't remember all the words right.)

Why can't you go to Nimbus, Dear?

I would hesitate to call Orion clueless. A little single-minded maybe. The man knows what he wants and he's out to get it. (Over and over and over again.)

Men! 

Pffffft!

FairyTale: By the way, FairyTale, I just got done with 'A day.....'. Review on the way.

Yes, Dear. De-Nile is a river in Egypt.

Yup. Four hours. And if you think you're confused, try reading the thing in four hours!

Ohhhhhhh! You got a playground? All I got in AU land was a hut with a computer in it! I want a playground!

Ahhhh, yes. The good old days of the first four books. Where we merrily let ourselves be led and deceived and we liked it that way! It was all harmless, child-like fun (well, with the exception of the ending of Book IV).

I'm with you. I felt the book was horribly predictable. The character 180 shifts were just annoying. Bad-ass Harry was irritating after just the first few pages, and the 'incident' was utterly pointless. All in all I got the feeling the Rowling decided from page one she no longer wanted to write a children's book and took off into dark literature with wild abandon.

She really did seem to go out of her way to make us dislike Sirius. Maybe she was setting things up so we won't feel so bad for him in the end. But again, as it has been said so many times, why bother creating, introducing, and developing such a wonderfully unique character only to........well, have the 'incident'.

The extreme she took it to to seemingly try to make us dislike Sirius' character in this book was indeed way overdone. One of the main reasons I waited so eagerly for this installment in the series was to get my 'Sirius fix'. And what do I get instead? A character I barely recognize, barely like, and totally don't understand. Personally, she can take ten years to write Book VI. It makes little difference to me at this point if what I have to look forward to is more of this.......stuff.

The slant on James' character was just right out. I'm sorry. For four books we have been spoon-fed what a wonderful person he was. I look over Kristen's pictures and THAT is how I picture James Potter. A good student who was well liked by his classmates, a hard worker, standing up for his friends, and a bit of a mischief maker. But according to Rowling's picture of him in Book V, he's a snobbish, stuck-up bore who enjoyed bullying anyone he felt he could get away with doing it to. And, according to Rowling, he had to practically bribe Lily to even look at him. Oh, yes, I understand all this.

Rowling does a wonderful job of hiding ANY emotion with Harry. You're right, I utterly missed the single tear, and the one armed hug could have been left out entirely and effected me just as deeply. I think the woman had an absolutely wonderful opportunity knocking her door down to establish one of the best relationships I've seen in books in a long time. And what does she do with it? Well....., you know. The 'incident'.

As for your opinions of my theories, I am steadfastly rejecting them. Sorry. They simply do not fit in with my hardcase denial right now.

Good heavens! You have faith in the woman. You think she could make this jumbled mess any MORE confusing than it already is? Personally, I feel she was reading too much of Audiaa 2's work. And that is by no mean a slant at Audiaa 2. I have read her stuff, and I think she produces some of the most plot intricate stories out there. But I expect to be confused by her stories. It's one of the things I like about them. The difference is that in the end she EXPLAINS things. And it makes SENSE.

Luna just sort of left me sitting there going 'What?' This was, in truth, one of those parts of the story I looked over briefly and moved on. What I know about her I have learned from listening to the rantings of others. But I'm still confused by her. Indeed, where did this new protagonist come from and why introduce her better than half way through the series? That just so does not work for me.

True, I never said you were right about Orion's children. But also, I never said you were wrong. I think I refused to comment.

Orion's children come up in a story titled (appropriately enough) In The Family Way and will likely be out after Family Relations. It is already in production and is partially in outline form.

Orion's boss isn't as bad as Voldemort? Don't put it past Orin Bale. The man did not get to his position by winning a popularity contest. Orin Bale could put the fear into any Deatheater and for him, morals just get in the way.

Ummm......I'm not sure what Charly being a muggle has to do with him not wanting Orion having a girlfriend either, Dear. Where did that come from?

Actually, Charly doesn't have the same view of what being partners means as Orion does. At least not the way I see him. Keep in mind Charly IS a muggle. He never will and never can see things the way Orion sees them. Now don't get me wrong. Charly does care about his partner. Probably a lot more than Orion realizes. (NO! Not that way. Get your minds out of the gutter. Honestly!) And he truly does see whatever is going on in Orion's personal life as becoming very distracting to him. A very dangerous thing in their line of work. And Charly is none too happy that whenever he asks Orion about it, his partner takes him for a few laps around the proverbial bush.

Nope. Sorry. It was always 'Katlin'. And what do you mean, '...how Orion will react to the last meeting with Katlin'? Are you talking about their dinner together? 

Indeed, Orion has fallen and fallen hard for Voldemort's top Elite agent. Does Katlin feel the same? That's hard to say. You have to understand, and I'm giving you a little preview here, but based on her past, you are looking at a woman, likely in her early to mid-thirties, who has never once, in her entire life, been in love with anyone. And she has likely only loved three things in her life. Her parents, Voldemort, and that pendent. Men, to her, are a means to an end. Use them, abuse them, and loose them. That's pretty much her motto.

Ha! You're all waiting for Charly to find out who Orion is seeing? Have you considered the other side of that coin? What will Voldemort do when he finds out who 'daddy's little girl' has hooked up with? Poor Orion.

Tets is very cute. And a great deal of fun to write. I felt he was the perfect house elf for Orion. As you'll see in later chapters, and in Family Relations especially, anyone living with someone like Orion is bound to get corrupted eventually. So is it with Tets. He is far from your typical house elf.

The dragon is coming back soon, as will he be explained. No one so far is even close on that one for ideas. But then, if you were, I would be highly suspicious of my computer's security. Because you have next to no information on him as yet.

Yes, yes. I'm late. I know. Hard weekend. And I'm a year older. I'm slowing down after all.

Thank you, Dear. It was a very happy birthday.

Oh, well. Still disappointed with the book. *Sighs.* Truly the two greatest letters in the alphabet are AU.

Reviews are as of 07082003. If I missed you, you posted late or I just am not paying attention. Please let me know.


	15. Chapter Thirteen A: Who Your Friends Are

A/N: O.K., folks, we're off and running with this chapter. If I ever had the chance to utterly lose you, it'll be here.

Also, you'll notice that the chapter numbering gets a bit....odd. Nothing shows more how I write my stories than the next few chapters. I am a fanatic not to re-number. Don't ask me why, but it helps my organization if I don't. So when I write a story and start numbering chapters, then think up ideas that come inbetween.........well, you get the following situation.

And yes, I went to Nimbus 2003. Please see the review at the end of the chapter if I hold out interest in it that long.

And as always.....,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Despite the fact that I wrote it and you're reading it, all characters and anything herein related to the Harry Potter mania currently gripping the world is the sole expressed property of J.K. 'Get off my back already. I was upset about it too. I cried for heavens sake, what more do you want of me' Rowling and her dry-eyed publishers who we all know care only about the money.

****

Chapter Thirteen A: Who Your Friends Are

Charly sat in the dingy bar nursing his sixth scotch. All around him the hum of conversation blended in with the songs coming out of an old jukebox set in the corner. Outside he could just hear the lapping of the ocean waves coming up on the beach every time someone came into the bar. By the fifteenth person, he had stopped looking up to check if it was the person he had come to meet.

Charly quickly downed his drink and singled the bartender.

"One more, mate." Charly said, laying a few muggle coins on the bar counter. "Then I'm going to see myself home, I guess."

"Your girl ain't showing, hey?" The bartender offered with a sympathetic look as he poured Charly's drink.

"Ain't waiting for a bird." Charly sneered at the man. "All the trouble they make. You're better off without them."

The bartender chuckled as he set the bottle back on the shelf and turned back to his customer. "Well, that's one man's opinion. And probably shared by a great many more. But I can't say as I agree with you." The bartender answered. "Got myself a fine woman. Been married twelve years. Never been happier."

"Oy! Don't even mention the 'm' word." Charly blustered over his drink. He quickly grabbed a napkin and dabbed it over his shirt. "Here, maybe your girl is the finest in the world. But they ain't all like that. You take the bird my mate's hooked up with. She is so very, very, very...." Charly searched for the right word, but finally gave up, blaming the first five scotches, "...not right for him. But he's gone and gotten himself all mixed up with her now. And she'll be nothing but trouble. You mark my words."

"How do you know, mate?" The bartender ask. "She might be all right."

Charly gave the man a wide grin. "'Cause I know what birds are like. Dated enough of 'em in my time. And this one that's got her claws into my mate, she's got him all turned around. What was he thinkin'?"

"Well, maybe he wasn't." The bartender offered. "I mean, is she a looker or somethin'?"

Charly looked up at the man. "Don't know." He admitted with a shrug. "Ain't seen the bird myself. But she'd have to be to have lasted this long."

"Or maybe your mate's just found 'the one', hey?"

Charly cringed again and shook his head. "I hope not."

"So this man, he's a good friend of yours then?"

"A good friend?" Charly scoffed. "The man's my best friend. Best mate a person could have. In all our years, he ain't lied to me once. Don't care how drunk he was. And that's another thing." He added emphatically. "Soon as he meets up with this tart, suddenly he's lying like a carpet. And he doesn't think twice about it. Never thought I'd see the day."

"Men have done worse for the woman they love."

"Not lying to your mates." Charly replied. "That just.....right off the charts, that is. You don't lie to your mates. Not for some stupid bird."

"Well, I guess it's all in who you fall in love with." The bartender offered philosophically.

Charly shook his head as he leaned over the bar again. "No, mate. What it's all about....it's all about who your friends are. That's what. Who stands beside you through thick and thin. Who's there for you. Who's watching your back. Who takes care of you. Who looks after you. Who you can talk to." Charly slid back onto his bar stool. "That's what it's about. That's what matters. Not....not some stupid bird." Charly held his drink up for a minute as he studied the clear liquid rolling around in the bottom of the glass. "Nope. It's all about who your friends really are."

The bartender shrugged. "It's all in how you see it, mate. But I'd be careful if I was you."

Charly looked up from his glass. "How so?"

"Because, my friend, if your mate loves this bird, and you start trying to interfere, you wouldn't be the first 'friend' who found himself on the outside of the relationship, if you know what I mean."

Charly looked up from his drink quickly. "Oh no. That is not going to happen. If I have to take the man into an alley and beat some sense into him, I'll do it. But he's going to see that this bird is no good for him."

"What's the problem, Misser? Can Black still not live his life without supervision?"

Charly turned abruptly to the voice behind him. 

Just within the dim illumination of the bar lights stood Johnathan Treaks.

****

Q&A

lilahp: I wanted to start off with you, Dear, because a while back you ask (like so many others) 'when is Charly going to sit Orion down and demand the truth?'.

Well, Dear, the answer to that is 'he doesn't need to'.

whitemudfounder: Glad you love the updates, Dear. Sorry this one is so long in coming.

Actually, no, Charly was not attacked by the Ministry of Magic.

I understand your problems with coherency. I don't think I could have said much that wasn't questioning Rowling's motives myself. But that's about as far as I could have gotten. Anything else would have just been mindless babbling on my part.

First off, what 'grief' are we talking about here, Dear? Angry? Yes. Upset? Yes. Annoying? Big yes. But grief? Didn't see it myself.

Second. No other character would have gotten the same reaction from Harry? What reaction? (See above.)

I'm sorry. To this day I stand by the believe the woman just can not write good emotions into her characters.

I think 'Armand' was the last book I read of here's. I think three or four books ago was the last one I actually bought. I can't even get up the enthusiasm to so that anymore. And I made a point of getting all of her books in first edition. Now I am having a hard time justifying the cost.

*PAR runs off and n\buys her first edition of Harry Potter.*

I think PoA will be the jewel in the crown, as it were. Rowling has stated that there will be more deaths and the series will get darker. Well, how much darned darker can she make it without turning off ALL the lights? I really do not expect to see many characters survive this series, not the least of which being Harry.

I just found OotP to be an overall disappointment. I did not think it had any of the nice plot twists she was so good at in the other four books. I guess what disappointed me the most was that I was looking for a nice little fun weekend read, and I got everything but.

skahducky: I have no idea what was her motivation in making Harry a genuinely unlikable character and Sirius just plain crazy acting. But she definitely could not have gone further from what I was hoping for than if I had written her a letter and outlined my wise list for what I wanted to see for a relationship between those two characters.

Ahhhh, good question. This takes place about a year before James and Lilly's murders. Maybe a little bit longer.

Silverfox: Of course Charly has house elves. Or, as he refers to them, drunken poker buddies. I'm sure, serving a half wizard to the degree Charly is was a dream come true for the house elves. He's really rather easy on them.

In American courts, you can 'plead the fifth', which means you do not have to answer the question because in doing so, you will incriminate yourself. However, it is sort of a catch 22. If you use that defense, people usually assume you either have something to do with what happened or you are guilty since you won't answer the question.

Yes, Tets will be back. Both here and in Family Relations. And the dragon will definitely be back soon. And Severus does make an appearance in this story, albeit brief.

Eva Phoenix Potter: Thickening like pea soup, Dear. And Charly is up to quite a bit, actually.

sweets: Hello, Sweets. So glad you enjoyed the convention, by the way.

Yes indeed. 'Old married couple' is starting to suit them more and more.

I debate that Orion is 'single minded'. He's just.......very dedicated to his job. And I am afraid that will not change much when he gets Harry.

Sailor Sol: Unfortunately, while PAR has good muses, they are currently otherwise engaged helping her clean her apartment.

I spread the hormone theory like butter all over Nimbus, Dear. They liked that one and felt it had merit.

I look forward to your story. It sounds very entertaining. I've been wondering why someone hasn't pursued that course yet.

You will have to see my 'Nimbus review' at the end. I hate to say 'father knows best', but Dear, listen to him. It was something of a scam. It was over-priced, not at all what they made it seem, and just over all a disappointment I felt. I would not attend it again. Just sit back, relax, and keep repeating 'but I still have my money'.

Charly's motives will either condemn or exonerate him. You'll just have to keep reading.

Voldemort finding out is quite an interesting chapter, and Katlin has some quick thinking to do in regards to that. But that's really all I can say.

But I like long reviews, Dear. 

Werepup: Sadly, I think poor old Lupin has a great big bulls-eye on his back where Rowling is concerned. The whole thing with Peter's hand is too coincidental. However, as someone pointed out at Nimbus, nowhere has Rowling stated that silver effects werewolves in her universe.

Charly's side of this is something that will indeed be very interesting.

It is not jealousy. Although, oddly enough, whenever I write Charly, I have the tune 'Jesse's Girl' running through my head. No idea why.

Nicky: Ohhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love that you caught that!!!!!!!!!

And no, I can't answer it. However, the fact that Charly can use a wand is explained in an up-coming chapter. For now, suffice to say just accept that the man can do nearly anything Orion can do. And there is a reason for that.

Out of curiosity, how many of you are tired of hearing that? 'There is a reason for that'.

*Many hands go up.*

Thought so. Just thought I'd ask.

Man, if I were internet connected, I would swear you've been hacking my computer. You are SO close on some of this. (Won't tell you were, just that you are.)

The effect of current situation as well as up-coming events on Orion and Charly's friendship have yet to be played out fully. It will, however, test a lot of the ties between them.

Oddly enough, I've heard that very same statement from several people. Not 'I really enjoyed the whole book', but 'the last 200 or so pages were good'. The first 600 seemed to bore people silly.

Too abrupt? This books changes in characters was like someone saying here's some more ice cream, then slipping you tabasco sauce.

I totally agree with you r analysis of the book in the terms that as a whole, there isn't a single scene in that book I would care to read again any time soon. Whereas with the others, I read the book, listened to the tapes, and saw what movies are out and still enjoy going back to the books.

If Sirius is truly gone from the series, I find it simply pointless and unnecessary for her to bother finishing it.

I still have problems with Sirius' characterization in this book. He went from being a strong, sharp-minded, guiding force in Harry's life to being......well, barely likable. Much like Harry. I guess a large part of the problem is that I had such high hopes for the character, only to see them take such a drastic turn away from where I was previously being led. As I stated earlier, I picked up OotP expecting a happy little weekend read, and ended up with everything but.

As for the prophecy, I'll lay odds the way Rowling seems to be taking the books. She said there will be more deaths, and the books will get darker. Quite frankly, if there's anyone left standing by the end of Book 7, knock me over with a feather.

The big running 'inside joke' at the convention was, 'if that was Snape's worst memory, he really needs to get over it'.

As for James, this is simply another of those 'I hate being taken in one direction only to be jerked abruptly in another' things. I have been led to believe, without any hint to the contrary, for four books, that Harry's father was, as you say, 'holier than thou', and I liked him that way. Now, suddenly, I'm being handed this totally contradictory view of him without any explanation, forewarning, or relevance to the plot. I find that very annoying. I mean, what's next? Lilly was the school slut? At this point, it seems almost anything is possible.

For me OotP will never fit smoothly into the series as the other books did in their proper succession, simply because it was such a violent switch from the other books. There was little character continuity for the reader to hold onto, and we were basically told, 'this is the way it is because I say so'. It didn't fit with the other books, it didn't fit, advance, or hold true to the plot, and I felt it was not at all what we were led to expect from this series. I basically feel like I was lied to and am not happy about it.

purple water: I am sorry you've lost respect for my two main characters, Dear.

I am sure Charly would like nothing better than to kill Katlin. After all, he's an Auror, she's a Deatheater. Kinda works that way.

The original appearance of Katlin in The Bonds That Tie was AU. It has no bearing whatsoever on this story. Sirius, in fact, has no point in coming into this story as that he is not yet in Azkaban even. He is merrily out there in AU land playing with his godson.

I don't know about your assessment of Katlin's sense of integrity. She simply does what she needs to to get the job done. Integrity, or lack there of, rarely enters into it.

Oh great! Someone else hacking into my computer! You're close, Dear, but let all your passengers get on board before you leave the station.

By the way, when are you going to update? 09022002 is a long time between chapters.

UnrepentantReader: Thank you, Dear. I don't get bowed to very often.

Indeed, the safe is going to blow. The question is 'when' (as much as 'why').

I actually had someone tell me that another person had read Family Life and told them they felt there were a lot of similarities between that story and OotP. I don't see that myself AT all, but...oh well.

I have heard the story both ways. Yes, she reads fanfiction sites, and no, she doesn't. Which is true we'll likely never know for sure. But does she plagiarize fanfiction stories? Well, come on, fair is fair, isn't it? Just look at what we do! I say 'Plagiarize away, Ms. Rowling. Just allow me to return the compliment'. 

****

The Bonds That Tie

Sailor Sol: My favorite 'going back to read again' has got to be Clam Chowder's The Ultimate Harry Potter Cliche Catalogue. I never fail to find something to laugh at in that thing. It's hysterical.

Let me set your mind at ease. (I think we could all do with a bit of that.) No, Sirius not being in Family Relations (much) has nothing to do with the 'incident' in Book 5. Do I look like Rowling? Honestly!

As Orion stated, 'Whenever I piss you off, I'm Mr. Black. When we're just having a conversation, I'm Orion.' (That was actually quite an astute observation on his part.) She's always talking about him. It's just a not too subtle hint at what her emotions are at the time.

****

A Dog's Day

Starlette: I'm glad you enjoyed the story, Dear. This was one of those PWP stories people keep referring to. Just a little idea I decided to expand on one day.

****

Diamond:

alamarang: Thank you, Dear. I am glad you enjoyed the story and thought it was cute.

****

Fever

NightShadow: Thank you, Dear. I am glad you enjoyed it.

Alamarang: Thank you.

Sailor Sol: AU, Dear. Two best letters in the English alphabet. It's amazing how happy you can be once you accept AU as your universe.

Honestly, I would have thought the woman could have come up with a LITTLE more interesting family for Sirius than what she gave him. I'm sorry to say I was VERY disappointed in that part of the book. When I saw the chapter title, I was very excite. That naturally all dissipated within the first few pages. I'll stick with my own history for his family if it's all the same to everyone.

Since this story is OC, and therefore not really Canon, I suppose I can play around with the characters all I want, right? Whooo-hoooooo! Long live AU!!!!!

I am trying to move this along and get chapters out as quickly as possible. But I am also working out a story on FictionAlley (Family Life), and the two keep me quite busy. Especially when people start posting questions on the other site.

****

Family Life

wellduh: I know how you feel, Dear. AU is a much better place to be these days.

Demon-Child: Thank you, Dear. 

****

Erika: Well, Dear. I'm impressed. You made it to the end and reviewed nearly every chapter.

I only answered if the question or comment wasn't addressed in the story.

Chapter 15: I liked Moody's description too.

Chapter 16: Definitely one of my favorites.

Chapter 17: Onset of illness.

Chapter 18: He did. At dinner. However, Remes never confirmed what Harry had was a virus or food poisoning.

Chapter 20: What small part, Dear?

Chapter 24: It is not my intention to deprive anyone of sleep, Dear.

Chapter 29: Who, Dear? Sirius? He's worried due tot eh fact they can be quite unsettling not only for him but for anyone around him.

Chapter 43: The injury is far more serious (no pun intended). This wasn't just injury to the bones, but complete decimation of the leg itself.

Chapter 49: Whether he was freed is a matter taken up in the sequel, Family Relations.

All reviews are as of 07282003. If I missed you, you know what to do.

****

NIMBUS 2003 REVIEW

Folks, aside from being four figures shorter in my bank account, more than mildly disappointed, and the proud owner of a $421.00 banner, what more can I say?

I had people at work ask me how it went.

Tough question.

I have tended to describe this event in these terms. 'The only thing that still surprised me after four days was that there weren't coin slots on the stall doors in the woman's restrooms.'

Basically, here's what it came down to. You had a bunch of people running a fan-site who, one dark day in the annals of history, sat up and said 'Hey! Wouldn't it be fun to have a convention?'.

Things just sort of went downhill from there.

Here you had a bunch of people who, to the best of my knowledge, have never run a convention before, and it showed.

The Warner Brothers lawyers mopped up the floor with them. The hotel used and abused them. And they took it out on the convention goers.

This was touted as an A-C-A-D-E-M-I-C convention. People, avoid any convention with that word in it.

Next, their website was so convoluted, the CIA would have been proud of the mis-information it gave. I was under the impression from the website that the registration fee covered you top to bottom, as it does with most conventions I go to. (And believe me, I've been to a 'few'.). I do not expect, when I get there, to find out that the convention fee covers only the panels and a few 'continental' breakfasts (although the Sunday brunch was excellent. Still, it was a darned expensive brunch based on what I paid and what I got.). Basically, for nearly two hundred dollars I got coffee and donuts and bread, one full breakfast, and panels. ANYTHING else I wanted to do at the convention....was extra. This included the luncheon (which I heard was nothing to write home about, but the presenter was good), the Saturday night dinner ($45.00 for poor service and Sheppard's Pie), the dance that night (which was a $10.00 cover charge and cash bar), and the pillows they eluded would be at the double feature as take home souvenirs turned out to be for sale. 

Basically, every time I turned around, these people were trying to recoup their loses through my wallet. If they could sell it, they did. (Oh, the concert by someone I have never heard of was free.)

At the wrap-up party, where they stated 'Come and give us your opinion', they should have added, '....only if it's favorable to us.' Many people got up to speak and tell these people what they thought of the convention. If you started with 'First off, the convention was great!', you got to talk. If you started with 'Let me get my list out.', and then proceeded to suggest ways they could improve next time, you were basically argued with until you got disgusted and sat back down, realizing you were wasting your time with these people.

And they had a standard answer for everything you didn't like. It was the lawyers fault, you see. One person stated they were disappointed there was no costume contest. 

'Well,' we were told, 'Warner Brothers lawyers said we couldn't do that.' (We could hold a Quidditch match, but no costume contest.) 

'There was no filking scheduled'. 

'Well, the Warner Brothers lawyers said we couldn't do that.'

'There wasn't enough variety in the panels.'

'Well, the Warner Brothers lawyers were very specific about what we could and could not present.'

Apparently Warner Brothers has too many lawyers with too much time on their hands if you ask me. 

I will say this for Chris, the game-master for the convention, he did a fantastic job organizing the Quidditch game. I had my doubts about this one being pulled off even mildly successful. But it was highly entertaining. Even if they were selling snacks at ridiculously high prices. ($1.00 for a cup of Lemonade?)

The complaint of the people hosting the convention was that they could not get enough volunteers. I have a suggestion. GIVE them something for their time and trouble. I have NEVER been to a convention were volunteers didn't get SOMETHING! A free day. A t-shirt. Food. SOMETHING. Do not stand there and tell me, 'Well, we can't give them anything because then we are paying them and we have to fill out work forms and such.' PLEASE!

Ah, I mustn't forget the t-shirts. Man, I loved this one. It went like this, folks:

(Highly irritated convention goer) Hi. Have the t-shirts come in yet? (They didn't arrive until Saturday.)

(Convention-working person, commonly referred to as 'mercenary') Yes.

Can I buy one?

Did you pre-register?

Yes.

Did you pre-register for a t-shirt?

What?

Did you pre-register for a t-shirt?

I pre-registered. I wasn't aware I had to also pre-register for a t-shirt.

Yes. Only those people who pre-registered for a t-shirt can buy one now. The others have to wait until 2:00PM. Oh, and cash only, please.

Folks, trust me, PAR did NOT wait until 2:00PM to buy her t-shirt, and they took a check.

I was just THAT hacked at this point, that PAR raised a little cane.

Is there anything good I have to say about this convention? *Thinks for a loooooooooooong time.* Ahhh, no. Not really.

It was over-priced.

They nickle and dimed you every chance they got.

It was over-priced.

Almost nothing was as it was advertised.

It was over-priced.

Some of the moderators were just plain rude.

It was over-priced.

The organizers rarely seemed to have control of the convention.

Did I mention it was over-priced?

Just let me say this in regards to the pricing. I have been going to a convention that started in a small upstairs room of a college campus. The price then was $10.00 for the weekend. I am still going to this convention some 23 years later. The grand price now is $30.00 for all three days. This convention brings in top-of-the-line guests. It averages in the thousands of attendees. (They have actually had to close registration because of the number of people attending.). It is well run. It is controlled. The film rooms are always good. The panels are excellent. The games, contests, parties, and extra events are great. All for $30.00, folks. All inclusive. No surprise extras. 

The Nimbus people could learn a few things from the organizers of this convention.

The convention I am speaking of, by the way, is Necronomicon in Tampa, Florida every October. I have gone since its inception and have never missed a single one. And I always have a outstanding time. Bravo, Stonehill Launch, who organize and run this wonderful convention every year. You deserve all your praise and we hope to never lose you. You are a treasure.

So folks, if you missed it, pat yourself on the back, open up your wallet and say 'hello' to the $200.00 that is still there, and go treat yourself to dinner with your favorite Potter fan and spend the evening discussing why you hated OotP. You'll get as much out of your evening as I got out of the whole weekend! 


	16. Chapter Thirteen B: Follow up

A/N: Yes, the title is exactly what it suggests. Why? Well, first and foremost, because I was absolutely set on ending that last chapter where I did. Secondly, because I'm the author, and I can. So there. Pfffft!

Anyway, I don't know that I have much else to say. The story is just going gangbusters in Enhanced Statistics. Who'd have ever thought so many people would enjoy a completely OC story.

I am impressed.

Also, just got a chance to see some pictures from PoA (the movie) in Newsweek. *sigh* WHAT were these people thinking? From AGES ago they had the possibility of snagging Christine Bale as Lupin. Ohhhhh, I felt in love with those eyes. 

What do I get? Some actor(?) I've never even heard of that looks about as much like Remus Lupin as I do.

Now, do I even need to say anything about Gary Oldman as Sirius? (Looks about at the silent crowd.)   
I thought not.

As always...,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: *Looks into mirror.* Pffft. Don't look a thing like Rowling. Which at this point, might be a good thing. Darn sure don't look like Harry Potter. Therefore I guess it is safe to assume none of this is legally mine, except those characters you don't recognize as being any part of the Harry Potter series, which just goes to show that I still have a few original ideas of my own. So there! Anything else belongs to J.K. 'It had to happen. I SWEAR! I said so in interviews!' Rowling and her 'Who gives a frig, it's making us money' publishers.

****

CHAPTER THIRTEEN B: FOLLOW UP

Within seconds Charly found himself practically bodily pulled out of the bar and out onto the street.

"What's the matter, mate?" Charly stated as he yanked himself free of Treaks' grasp and righted himself on his feet. "Don't care for a little nightlife?"

"I'm not your 'mate'." Treaks replied sourly, reaching for his wand. "And we have work to do. Preferably without a fifth of scotch in you. Honestly, Misser, do I have to sober you up every time?"

Charly's eyes never once left the man in front of him as he looked very much like a man fighting for his balance. But as soon as Treaks fired off his spell, Charly dodged it with startling accuracy, a pleased smile on his face as he stood back up to face Treaks.

"Ha! Mithed m........"

The second spell hit Charly dead center, knocking him back a few feet. Pausing for a second, Charly finally shook his head a bit, then turned a disgruntled look back to the man in front of him. "Now what did you go and do that for!?" He stated hotly. "That was a right good bender I had going!"

"And we're not going to get anywhere tonight with you falling all over yourself."

"Ain't nothin' wrong with a nice, right bender."

"And we have work to do, Misser!" Treaks reminded him, his own voice raising slightly. "Or have you conveniently forgotten about that?"

"Merlin's Beard! Settle down, Treaks. No matter you Deatheaters are such a uptight lot. You never have any fun."

"Fun?" Treaks stated with an overly apparent sneer. "Is that what this is to you, Misser? Fun? Then I would say you Aurors have a very strange definition of the word. Or was that punishment you received for your last screw-up just a warm-up for you?"

"I messed up once!" Charly shot back.

"Well, for your first, it was quite a show. What in magic's name happened to this wonderful plan of yours to put an end to your partner's relationship with this woman you reported he was seeing?"

Charly frowned deeply at the man. "He was suppose to talk to her. I know Orion. He would sit and discuss the matter to the last detail. Somewhere in there he was suppose to realize that he and this bird he's seeing had absolutely nothing in common and bring this whole affair to an end."

"Well," Treaks gave him a smug smile, "I would say you don't know your partner as well as you say you do then."

"It was likely this stupid bird who was responsible. She probably realized she was almost out the door and employed all of her ample charms to keep him interested."

Treaks face shifted to a very hard expression. "The point is," he continued before Charly could say anything, "you messed up."

"It was the last time." Charly shot back.

"Really? Because quite frankly, I think you're headed for more 'fun' then you'll know what to do with."

Charly stared back at the man with a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

"You're last little fiasco, Misser. You told that idiot partner of yours that your injuries were due to a Deatheater ambush?"

"So?"

"Does the name Katlin Griss ring any bells for you, Misser?"  
Charly gave the man a wry smile. "No. I've been under a rock most of my professional life."

"Well, that certainly explains a lot." Treaks replied with another sneer. 

Charly returned it. "Katlin Griss is Voldemort's top agent. Every Auror knows her."

"Well, she got wind of that story of yours and has jumped on it like water on a fire, Misser. Given how much time she was devoting to it, I'd say she already suspects you were lying."

"Why does she even care?"

"You reported that a group of Deatheaters attacked you, but nothing was ever reported among our people. Such an attack would have been grounds for a great deal of boosting. Griss already suspects the report was a lie. She likely wants to know 'why'. And she's already starting to unearth proof." 

"What proof?"

"Griss dug up the records and reports of missions and every random attack in the last month. There was nothing there, Misser. No reports, no planned attacks. Nothing. The woman is no idiot. She's going to start piecing things together and know that you lied about the attack. What she's going to do with that information I have no idea. She could well use it to blackmail you. Now," Treaks jabbed a finger in Charly's chest, "the question is, what are you going to do about it?"

"If I'm asked, I'll say the attack likely wasn't reported."

"A group of Deatheaters.....attacked and injured an Unspeakable....and they're not going to talk about it? Trust me, Misser, you'd best have a story ready. And it had better not be that one."

Charly waved off the man's warning. "I'll have something ready." He replied. "And since I know it may be coming, I can be prepared. Not easy fooling your own kind. But I've got time to work on it. Don't worry about it."

"Worry?" Treaks laughed. "The last thing I am is 'worried about it', Misser. Personally, I think the master knows enough to realize that he needs you alive. But when this is over, I wouldn't raise a finger if he chooses to beat you to death for being such an idiot."

"Such a kind sentiment." Charly replied. "I really missed out, I did, not having you for a partner."

"Just make sure you come up with a convincing story this time." Treaks stated sharply. "I need you alive as much as the master does right now. Preferably in your current position. Which you may not be if your superiors find out you lied about that attack."

"Just leave it to me. Now, what did you need this meeting for so desperately?"

"First off, to warn you about what Griss has been up to."

"Fine. You've warned me. What else?"

"While you're trying to come up with your convincing story, we'll need to throw Griss off your trail for a few days."

"How?"

"I already have a plan in place. Griss has been engaging in some....odd behavior lately. What I have planned will not only get her off your trail for a while, but answer a few question of my own about what she's been up to. I just need you to play your part."

"All right. Anything more?"

"The master said he was aware of factions in our area who have expressed an interest in joining him."

"I was at the last meeting, Treaks. Get on with it."

"What you don't know, Misser, is that Voldemort is also aware of these factions. And he is sending a group of Deatheater Elite to scout the meeting."

"Voldemort? Why does he care what a pack of malcontents is doing?"

"Because they aren't his malcontents. Voldemort is aware of the growing stronghold of the master in the north. We both know that. He's concerned these smaller factions might be trying to form an alliance with the master. If they are, the Elite are to stop them."

"Well for magic's sake, try and stay out of the way, will you? The Department is, as usual, already ahead of you on that meeting and have got it's own people who are going to be scouting that meeting as well."

"To do what?" Treaks asked, his voice dripping with condescendence. "To take notes and report back to your superiors? It would take you Unspeakables days to just decide if you should have ordered coffee or tea. Elite take a much more direct approach."

"What? Make sure no one leaves the pub alive?"

Treaks gave the man a tight smile. "Well, no one of any consequence."

Charly sighed to himself. "Just keep in mind that there will be Aurors at that meeting as well. Try to be discreet for once. Now, what plan do you have in line to sidetrack Griss?"

Treaks gave Charly a small smile. "All I need you to do, Misser, is to pass on a bit of information."

****

Q&A

skahducky: I'll say it again. When I pick up Rowling's books, I'm looking for a little escapism. A little reality vacation for about a hundred or so pages at a time. If I want to get in touch with an angry, hostile, confused, hormone driven teenager, I'll go down to the local mall. A few should be vandalizing the place apart almost any day of the week that I can pick mine from.

Now, come Book Six, or even Book Seven, and Rowling can turn this depressing little story of her's around and make it something enjoyable again, folks, PAR will be the first one in line to apologize, declare her the greatest writer of all time, and personally offer to slap for her anyone who disagrees.

But I won't spend my nights worrying about it, O.K.?

sweets: Sorry. I did warn you things would get a bit confusing for the next few chapters and you'd better have those score cards out, folks. 

Actually, I didn't find you 'slow on the uptake' at all. If anything, you seemed a good deal more intelligent than most people I met that weekend.

What do you mean 'it has to do with Katlin'? How could it not. Most things in the story either have to do with Katlin or Orion. (Or Charly, or Treaks, or Bale, etc.).

Sorry, you did miss out on the one bright spot of the convention. Sunday Brunch. Man! Those people now how to COOK! Put PAR right in the mood for spending LOTS of money at the auction. (I really should be banned from those things.).

The only adjustment I would recommend to the Quidditch gamemaster is don't mark the Snitches so obviously. With so many people on the field, some random person just walking through holding a small gold ball would hardly get much more notice than a real snitch.

True! All true!!! I saw it folks. It was UNDERHANDED!

Actually, good thing their declaring it fouled didn't make a difference in the end. PAR would have gotten upset. And you've seen PAR upset. Not pretty. Not pretty at all.

The wand is still on the 'three week walk away' list. And the more time goes by, the less interested I am getting, which was the whole point to start with.

Sailor Sol: Like I said, open your wallet and say 'HELLO' to that two hundred dollars you still have there. Because trust me, the people running this convention would have found a way to separate you from every penny you had before kicking your broke butt out the door.

Most of the planners, organizers, and runner of the convention did not seem overly enthusiastic about having another go. Such amateurs. Most of what they complained about are the things convention running is all about. You have expenses, folks. You should plan for them. There are guests. They are there to be entertained......by you! It's your job! Get with it!!! You do NOT need to hold your convention next to a theme park to entertain your guests. Good planning on your part would negate the need to entertain them OUTSIDE of the convention. You do not need to FEED us. Any convention goer worth their salt can find food in a ten mile radius by small alone. Though few even care as that they brought enough snack food in the cooler in their room to last for days.

Cliffhangers. How I love that word.

I'm kind of surprised that I didn't get one review that said 'Treaks? Who's Treaks?' Good reviewers. Somebody had their score card out.

'Abandoned' is noooooooot quite the feeling Charly's having right now.

Actually, yes. I have big things in store for Charly. And I have big things in store for Orion. (You'll note those were not together.).

I think poor Sirius has been through quite enough right now without someone else whacking him for fun and profit. (And shock value.). However, now that I have seen Gary Oldman as Sirius.....................kind of looking forward to movie Five. *PAR quickly runs off to Chamberofkeys website to reacquaint herself with a few good renditions of Sirius.*

Oh, thank you Lord, for giving us the letter A, and the letter U. (Kind of sounds like Sesame Street, doesn't it? Although actually, I'd give that over to your review. 'AU. What power they hold! Yes, with the letter A, and the letter U, put together, you can create anything. Whole new worlds, just waiting to be discovered'.)

Ahhhhh, another happy reader. Makes PAR happy!

Silverfox1: Uh oh! Somebody got hit by Fanfiction's latest........thing. Little name change there, Dear?

I am SOOOOOOO happy PAR isn't apparently a popular choice. Actually, I'm the only one!

Charly's motives are far from self-serving. If the man has one ultimately redeeming quality...........(hmmmmmm, author wonders if she should go on?). Nope! Sorry. Too much information. Have to wait. But to be fair, I will say this. Charly's actions have nothing to do with anything in his past. Well, not his far past, anyway.

As for 'I know what birds are like', more accurate would be two 'birds' standing about saying, 'I know what Charly is like'. Boy gets around.....and around, and around, and around.....!

Reviews are as of 08022003. If I missed you, you know what to do. (Yell and scream and shame me into groveling for your forgiveness next time.) 


	17. Chapter Thirteen B1: Close Friends

A/N: *Giggles* Only thing harder to follow at this point than the story is the chapter numbering.

Please keep in mind that so far things are happening pretty simultaneously. So this chapter opens with very little time elapsing since Katlin left Orion's house.

Also, points for anyone who can tell me the song Katlin's little 'speech' about her feeling for Orion comes from.

Disclaimer: *Sigh* I have nothing better to do with my life. *Thinks* Oh! Wait! That's a good thing! 

Despite that I am basically stealing someone else's work and passing it off as my own, I'm not taking payment for it, and I do fully admit that everything even remotely related to Harry Potter is the work of JK 'Pfffft! I'm richer than the queen, so sod off with your opinions' Rowling and her 'one for me, none for you' publishers.

****

Chapter Thirteen B-1: Close Friends

Katlin returned straight to her apartment. 

Despite what had happened between her and Orion that night, her mind was still going over the events of the their last meeting. She still needed time to think. To sort things out.

Merlin's Beard! What had gotten into the man!

Katlin thought she understood Orion better than she had any other man she had ever known. Maybe that was in part why they seemed to work so well. Each understood what the other wanted and there were no complications. 

Now suddenly the man was talking about a 'relationship'. What was next? Marri...... 

A sudden knock on the door thankfully interrupted that last thought before it went any further.

Katlin opened the door to an enthusiastic hug.

"Katlin!" A young girl cried as she threw herself into Katlin's arms.

Well, maybe girl wasn't the right word. The woman was perhaps twenty-five with straight brown hair and a rather plain, but attractive face. She was dressed in a pair of muggle jeans and a plain tee-shirt. Her bright brown eyes positively danced with excitement as Katlin eased her back.

"Kristen?" She exclaimed happily. "When did you get back?"

"Just now. I haven't even been to the lair yet, Katlin. I wanted to stop here first."

Katlin gave the younger woman a slightly stern look. "Kristen, you're suppose to report first. You know better than this."

The younger woman shook off Katlin's admonishment as she stepped into the apartment. "Don't worry about it, Katlin." She said, turning back to her as Katlin shut the door after her. "Lord Voldemort will be so pleased with the information we got from this mission, he won't even bother with my being back late. Besides," She added with a mischievous grin, "I'm the best friend of his number one. How badly would he punish me?"

"As badly as he would punish his number one for breaking rules like this."

But even despite her warning, Katlin couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. That was the one word that always seemed to sum up the younger woman's whole attitude. Enthusiasm. No matter what task Voldemort assigned her to, she approached it as thought it were the most important thing in the world he could ask her to do. But enthusiasm was no replacement for experience or skills, Katlin knew all too well. And where as Kristen was gaining useful experience, Katlin sadly had to admit that Kristen didn't have very many useful skills when it came to the work she had chosen to do. Simply put, Kristen just wasn't a very good Deatheater. 

To Katlin she was far too squeamish for the dirtier work and simply not skilled enough to be a fighter against the Aurors in outright attacks.

But Katlin had taken a liking to the young woman from the start. She was open and honest and, as always, enthusiastic. Katlin sometimes felt she liked being around Kristen solely to feel a little of that enthusiasm once again. Something she seemed in short supply of these days.

But as she recognized early on, enthusiasm was one thing. Skills were another. It was Katlin's liking of the younger woman that had brought her to go to Voldemort and express her concern for her by way of asking Voldemort to keep Kristen to the lighter assignments. Things that weren't too dangerous, to dirty, or that required too much information about what was going on in the lair. Katlin strived her very best to keep Kristen as separate from the reality of some of the Deatheaters activities as she could. Sometimes she felt she was trying to preserve the girl's innocence. 

Other times she just didn't want to see her get killed.

"Well, then," Katlin replied with a slightly forced smile as she worked to pull herself out of her dampened mood, guiding Kristen into the apartment's small living room, "come and tell me all about your adventures this time."

"Hardly 'adventures'." Kristen laughed. "It was just gathering information."

Katlin quickly turned the girl about before letting her sit down, doing a quick appraisal. "Well, there doesn't seem to be any damage." She guessed.

"Not even a scratch." Kristen affirmed. But her happy smile suddenly sobered as she gave Katlin an equal once over appraisal. "And what's up with you?"  
"Me?" Katlin asked past a puzzled stare. For the briefest second her mind had shifted back to her earlier thoughts which, despite Kristen being there, were barely below the surface.

"Yes, you 'I'm so happy I'm about to bust out all over'. Katlin, you're practically lighting up the room by yourself all of the sudden. What were you just thinking about? And I've got a hundred galleons that whatever it was, there's a man involved somehow."

Katlin paused, a small smile creeping across her face despite the turmoil the thought brought back with it as it slipped back to the forefront.

"Katlin Griss!" Kristen practically squealed with delight. "What have you been up to!?" But the younger woman's enthusiasm dampened quickly into a frown as she considered a possibility. "Oh. Wait a minute. Tell me please this isn't Treaks."

Katlin returned her frown. "Kristen, will you get off the 'Johnathan Treaks Vendetta wagon' already. What did he ever do to you?"

"He treats my best friend like she's something under his shoe."

"He's not that bad."

"No. He's all bad. And he's no where good enough for the likes of you."

"Well, Lord Voldemort thinks very differently on the matter."

"And you are not cattle to be pushed off on the best breeding stock, Katlin."

Katlin crossed her arms in front of her with an exasperated sigh. "Well, you'll be happy to know that 'no', it's not Johnathan."

Kristen let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Thank magic." Her earlier enthusiasm came back like a burst of light from a wand tip. "Well, come on then. Out with it. Who put that smile on your face?"

Katlin did her best to push the smile off her lips. But it stubbornly refused. "What smile?" She asked innocently.

Kristen stared back at her. "Don't even TRY to lie about it." She stated firmly. "You can't even suppress that smile. Sooooooo," she asked quickly bouncing about her best friend, "what's his name? Where is he from? Does he have a younger brother?"

Katlin suddenly reached out and grabbed the younger woman by the shirt and pulled it roughly to her until they were face to face. "Kristen Banks, you have to swear....swear.....that if I tell you, you will never tell a soul."

The whole display not only didn't dampen Kristen's enthusiasm. It increased it until the girl could barely contain herself.

"Katlin, I SWEAR!!! As a Deatheater. I will never breathe a word to a soul. Now tell me. Who is it? Who are you seeing?"

Katlin slowly let her fingers release Kristen's shirt as she studied her face for a moment. Then, satisfied the girl seemed sincere, very quietly whispered, "Orion Black."

Kristen's wild eyed enthusiasm disappeared behind a mask of utter shock and disbelief. For a full minute she stood stone still staring at her best friend. "Orion Black?" She finally said in a barely audible voice. "Orion Black....the Unspeakable?"

Katlin nodded.

"You're dating....an Auror?"

Katlin quickly held up a finger. "I would be very careful about the 'd' word. It's hardly that."

"Then it's what?"

"It's......a physical thing." Katlin replied carefully.

"Sex." Kristen quickly supplied.

"Well, more or less, yes."

"Katlin," Kristen thought through the information again, "that man.....he's an Auror."

Katlin frowned at her. "What's your point?"

"Katlin!" Kristen practically yelled at her. "You are a Deatheater. An Elite, no less. The man is a high ranking Unspeakable Auror. How did that happen!?"

"I told you." Katlin defended. "It's just....a physical thing. It's not like we have a....relationship."

"Really? Well, that smile all over your lips says.....'Look at me and my happy relationship!'"

"Then try listening to my words instead."

"I am. And quite frankly, I've never heard you sound so unsure of anything in my life."

"Pardon?"

"Katlin, I've heard you talk about the men you....see. Be it personally, or on a mission. You talk about them like they're....just objects. Half the time I wonder if you really even know what they look like or they're just something you do with your time. But this one! Katlin, this is the first time you've ever wanted to keep one secret."

"Kristen, he's an Auror. Of course I don't want it published in the Daily Prophet."

"Well, if you ask me, you still sound like a woman who is trying desperately to talk yourself into something while your emotions are fighting you every inch of the way."

Katlin crossed her arms in front of her again. "Spell it out, girl." She stated firmly.

"All right." Kristen replied just as resolutely. "I don't think this is anymore 'just a physical thing' with this Auror than I'm Lord Voldemort. I think you're in love with the man."

"Ha!"

"Deny it all you want, Katlin."

"And I will."

"And I'm just telling you what I see."

"Then you're blind."

"Or maybe you are. And you just needed someone who could see 'you' and tell you what they saw. And I'm telling you, Katlin Griss, I see a woman very much in love."

"And I see a crazy woman standing in front of me."

"Fine. But I'm still pretty darned sure that 'a physical thing' didn't put that smile all over your face."

Katlin gave her a half-hearted derisive snort of laughter.

Kristen went back to studying her friend for a moment. "Does he love you?" She asked finally.

Katlin fell abruptly silent at the question.

"Does he?" Kristen repeated the question.

Katlin remained silent, her mind running back over the events earlier in the evening.

"Never mind." Kristen waved off the question. "That answers it for me."

Katlin's attention snapped back to her friend. "What are you talking about?"

"He told you he loves you, hasn't he?"

"Kristen, every man tells me he loves me. That proves nothing."

Kristen reached out and slipped her finger under the slim, silver chain around Katlin's neck, gently pulling out the small pendent that hung from it.

"Does 'every' man buy you presents like this?"

Katlin tried putting on her best indifferent expression. "What makes you think this is from him?" She asked, stuffing the pendent protectively back under her shirt.

"Because you could never afford something like that and Treaks would no more buy you a present like that if you begged him. But that little item virtually screams that it came from your Auror."

Katlin shrugged. "The man is rich, Kristen. He can afford to buy me presents. So what?"

"You never take it off." Kristen observed. "I can always see a little of the chain around your neck."

"I like it. Why should I take it off?"

Kristen shrugged. "Fine. But just remember," she added, "'it's not just a river in Egypt'."

Katlin stood for a few moments lost in her own thoughts. So she liked the pendent? What did that prove? What was the point of anything Orion had said to her that night. What had it really proved? What was it going to accomplish for them if she agreed? Why couldn't things just stay the same? Uncomplicated.

"Kristen," Katlin finally said slowly, staring intently at the brown sofa next to her as she worked through her thoughts, "what if he said that he loves me? What does that prove?"

"Oh, I don't know." Kristen replied, studying the ceiling for a moment before abruptly turning back to Katlin. "That he loves you?"

"Because he said it?"

"All right. Point for your side." Kristen agreed. "Then try this instead. How does he treat you? Does he order you about? Berate you in front of the others? Tell you when he wants to see you?"

Katlin gave her a sheepish little smile.

"Never mind." Kristen sighed. "So, the man tells you he loves you, buys you expensive gifts, and treats you like gold. Aside from the fact that he's an Auror, what's the problem?"

Katlin fell onto the sofa with a heavy sigh. "Oh, that's not even really a problem anymore, Kristen." She admitted. "We worked out the politics a long time ago."

"Really?"

"We don't talk about 'business' when we're together. That part of each of us doesn't exist then."

"That easy?"

"That easy."

"All right then, what is the problem? Because it seems to me that something has got you questioning everything in this relationship."

Katlin looked up at the word. "That's it really, Kristen."

"What?"

"That word." Katlin answered as her friend joined her on the couch. "'Relationship'. Orion told me the other night that he feels that what we have together is....empty. That as far as he's concerned I could be just any 'body'."

"And he's not happy with that."

"Not anymore." Katlin replied, staring at her hands as she folded them in her lap. "He says he wants more. He wants to get to know me. For us to have....a relationship."

"Sounds to me like the man is getting very serious about you, Katlin."

Katlin got abruptly to her feet and walked over to the window. She stared out at the night for several moments before saying anything.

"But that's just it, Kristen." She said. "Why? What's the purpose in getting to 'know me'? What will it accomplish for us?"

Kristen joined her at the window. "Katlin, that is what people in love do."

"But don't you understand, Kristen?" Katlin replied, her distress as evident in her voice as her expression. "I don't want him to get to know me."

"Why not?" Kristen asked in disbelief.

Katlin turned to the floor with a slight shake of her head. "When I started into this....relationship with Orion, Kristen, I never thought once where it might be leading. How complicated it could get for the both of us. How very dangerous it could be. And I don't think I would have cared. I....enjoyed it. And so I just let it happen. Now, he wants to get to know me. To really know me. Then, one of these days, and I doubt it'll be long, he'll know more about me than he should. No more surprises. Nothing more to learn from the look in my eyes. From the sound in my voice. It'll all become repetitive to him. Just like I will. Time isn't my friend, Kristen." She said softly. "And one day this will end."

Kristen reached out and held the small pendent up between her fingers for Katlin to see. "Katlin, the man loves you."

"He's infatuated."

"He's in love."

Katlin quickly shook off her mood as she turned back to her friend. "And tomorrow maybe he won't be." She stated decisively, protectively snatching her pendent back.

"And maybe tomorrow the world will end." Kristen countered in the same tone. "The point is, Katlin, you don't know."

"But I do know." Katlin replied, her voice lowering to almost a whisper. "I've been through this too many times before."

"And there is no way this time things will be different?"

Katlin stared back at her.

"Have they been the same so far?" Kristen asked softly.

Katlin paused, then slowly shook her head.

"Katlin," Kristen offered, "maybe, just maybe, this is the one you should give a chance. Maybe the last one that should work, is the one that will."

Katlin managed a small smile for her friend. "Maybe."

****

Q&A

Semmel: O.K., Roll, give me a break. You're first.

And ummmmm...., I did mention that the reviews cut off 08022003. And 'somebody' put their review up 08032003. Sorry, Dear. No amount of yelling or screaming will work this time. I didn't 'technically' miss you, after all.

Actually, you are sort of off. Does Charly know who the woman is? No. Does he know she's a Deatheater. Now THERE'S an interesting question, folks. Keep reading and give me your opinions. I would very much like to hear them as well as the reasons behind why you think he does or doesn't know.

In part yes, Charly does see his late night pub crawlings with his best friend going by the way-side and he is none to happy about it.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Thank you! There is my little 'Who is Treaks?' question. I mentioned last time I was somewhat surprised no one ask that. Didn't give me any leeway to explain him a bit better. But bless you! There's my question.

And here's your answer. Johnathan Treaks is a Deatheater. More so, he's an Elite, as is Katlin. What's his whole part in this? Oh, he's got quite a bit to do in this story. You might recall he first showed up in Chapter Three. And the relationship between him and Katlin was quite......tense. Why? Well, Treaks is about as close to Katlin in status as he can get. The problem is, he can't surpass her because of her relationship with Voldemort (Daddy's little girl and all). However, leave it to a snake to find a way around that. A point that was touched on in this chapter. Past that, form your own opinions about the man. He has his own reasons for what he's doing and they will eventually come to light.

So, no apology necessary, Dear. I enjoyed the question.

Yes, Charly is a muggle. Yes, he is working with a Deatheater. Is he happy about it? Does he seem that way?

I'm getting to the explanation! I swear!

nessie6: Heeheehee. Another victim of the Fanfiction.net numbering system, Dear?

Honestly, though, was it really such a popular name that there were 6 of you?

Why seven?

The next few chapters are quite short. But I will be posting them as fast as I can to try and make up for that.

Actually Dear, we're just referring to the whole unfortunate episode around here as the 'incident'. Everyone pretty much knows what you're referring to now with that one.

An artist! I am so jealous. PAR can barely draw a straight line. So, are you up anywhere we can see the art?

That'll tell 'em, Dear. Refuse to be a number. Just give 'em a couple of fingers and tell 'em to sod off!

UnrepentantReader: I hate to be dense, but Dear, I need that WHOLE first line explained to me. I lost something in the translation, I guess. (It's late and PAR is tired.)

Actually, with the Nimbus review, I was being nice.

Yes, Heidi Tandy may be a lawyer, Dear, but apparently Warner Brothers hired guns chewed the poor child up and spit her out.

No, no, Dear, I was not the bidder for THE banner. I was the bidder for all FOUR banners. Yes indeed, the ONLY complete set.

Ohhhhhhhh! People are talking about me? How very nice. I can imagine there was a lot of whining. PAR had a credit card and a bank account and she was not going to be out-bid. And actually, there was a great deal of story behind the infamous 'banner bid-off' than people know.

I really can imagine Rowling trolling the fan sites, reading over the stories, then tailor making them so that she sidesteps everyones guesses. Sorry to say, but 'pretty smart if you ask me'. However, as cute of an idea as it would be if she were doing it, she is seeming to be getting to the point even she doesn't know where her story is going anymore. But as I said last time, if the woman pulls this story around, makes it an actually enjoyable read again, and vindicates her 'It had to happen, I swear' line she keeps reading off like a cue card script, I will be the first person in line to apologize for criticizing her. Otherwise........Pffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft!

Yes, Dear, I am on FictionAlley....., such as it is. It took me eleven months to get just the first two chapters up, and it looks like it might take another eleven to get the next two up. And before anyone goes running off to FictionAlley thinking you're getting a new PAR story there, No, Dears. It's a re-posting of Family Life. Fanfiction.Net currently is the only site that sees my original (?) work.

Shocked and stunned? I don't do that to someone very often. *Goes off to bask in happy, warm feeling.*

I'm glad you like the twists and turns, by the way. Keeps the story interesting.

werepup: What am I up to? Wouldn't you like to know. (Heeheehee.)

All right! I admit it. I have a ticket to sail on the SS/RL ship!

I agree. I think in this series that silver would affect a werewolf as it does in most stories. But she hasn't actually 'said' it yet.

I have no idea why, but everytime that song comes on I see Charly. Just like I can see Orion everytime 'The Logical Song' come on by Supertramp. Katlin? Pat Benetar with 'Love is a Battlefield'. The song speaks very well of her inner feelings about things and the whole situation in general.

skahducky: It would be good if he lighten up, Dear. Not doubt about it. But according to the way Rowling talks about the up coming books, it just doesn't seem very likely.

whitemudfounder: O.K., purely out of curiosity, Dear, what's with the name?

Sunburnt? Someone have a little too much fun at the beach without Mr. Sunblock?

The 'master' in the north has indeed only been mentioned a few times. Reason for that? You're pretty much seeing things from the characters point of view on this one. They don't know much more about him than you will at any given point.

Charly hasn't necessarily 'joined' the master. But he has a vested interest in working for him.

Treaks reasons are his own right now. But they currently follow along the same lines as Charly's for now due to the fact Treaks also has no idea who Orion is seeing. Once he learns, his motives shift considerably.

North as in 'Scotland', Dear.

Having read over the last chapter myself once more, I'll agree you might have missed that point. Once I tell you, go back and read the first part again. It is in there. Charly wasn't 'attacked' at all. He was punished by the new wizard he is working with because the plan he had for breaking Orion and the woman he is seeing up failed so completely.

Let me get this straight. First, they have Severitus's Challenge, which I have heard of. But then they turn it into a SS/HP? *Shakes head.* A new low for Fanfiction. *Sigh*

I will forever stand up and shout from the rooftops that this woman could not write an honest scene filled with emotion if she was copying it out of Writing Emotional Scenes.....For Beginners. Something! Anything! I'm downright desperate at this point. I mean, let's face facts. What stories are the most read on Fanfiction sites? The ones with good character developement in as much as they make the characters more intersting. And what make a good character? One you can get to know on more than a superficial level. And what helps us get past that superficial level? Being able to connect with those characters through their emotions. Folks, it's basic writing 101. Readers love emotional characters. I have two stories out right now that I think are without a doubt my best ones. One is Family Life simply because it's one of the best structured stories I have out there right now, and Fever, which is just chocked full of emotions. Currently, Fever is beating Family Life for hits 3-1. Hmmmmm, wonder why? Fever is also my currently most read story. (Man, who can resist a good cuddly scene?)

To the movie. *Sighs* First off, The new director, whatz'isname? This concept he has of showing the actors in the scenes running about in muggle street cloths. Wrong!

Next. Gary Oldman as Sirius Black. Wrong!

Next Whatz'isname as Lupin. Wrong!

Next. Gary Oldman as Sirius Black. Wrong!!

Next. Not releasing it in November. Wrong!

Next. Gary Oldman as Sirius Black. Wrong!!! WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!! It couldn't be more wrong if it tried. What were you thinking? What were you trying to do!? See how utterly wrong you could make this!? It's WRONG! Do you hear me!!! Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong............!

*Clams down with a shot from the nice men in white coats.* Other than that I think it will be fine.

Sailor Sol: To start off with, let me settle your nerves, Dear. Charly is not a Deatheater. Never was. Likely never will be.

And good point. Yes indeed, if Charly was a Deatheater, Katlin would know about him.

Now, don't you feel bad for scolding poor Charly?

Hmmmmm, I kind of like that line you had between Charly and Orion. *PAR tucks line away for future use with note to give credit to Sailor Sol.*

Silverfox: Oh dear! Someone's got issues with Fanfiction.Net. (I understand there's a club forming for that.)

Oh, don't worry about the late part, Dear. PAR understands busy weeks better than you know.

Charly isn't very likeable right now? *Has flashbacks to story with Aaron Richards.* Need I say more?

You're going to have a very deep peak into Deatheater politics before this is through. 

Oh......, pfffffffffffffft!!!! Here! *Throws Silverfox a goldstar.* (*) Have it then! You found one of my most blatant plotholes in this story. Thought I was safe. Was sure it was too far along for anyone to remember. But noooooooooooooooooooooooooo! You HAD to bring it up!

*Sigh* All right, folks, its like this. Silverfox has a really good point that I missed in the first part of the story and covered in a later chapter. If Katlin is so well known, why would every Auror supposedly know her on sight, but in the beginning, Orion had to ask her her name? (Charly has yet to see her, so he has an excuse.) The point of the matter is this (and does come up in a few more chapters, so if I don't mention it here you may miss it), Katlin has the ability to change her appearance at will. In OotP, Rowling gave this very same ability to one of the characters, though I can't recall right now who. And she gave it a name (again, memory fails me at the moment). So, why doesn't Orion know her and everyone else seems to? Because no one really knows 'exactly' what the woman looks like. Her real appearance is rarely ever seen. And the reason her real appearance isn't well known is because she rarely goes out 'as herself'. Therefore, even if an Unspeakable did know what she looks like, she could walk right past them and they would never know it. Basically what you have here is 'name recognition', and nothing more.

And I'd like to thank each and every one of you in advance who jump all over me in an upcoming chapter that blasts this theory to pieces based on one of its scenes. Thank you. Thank you so very much. 

sweets: Either-or? You optimist you! 

Too true, Dear. Don't piss off PAR.

Hope you like your presents, by the way. Should be getting there soon.

Ohhhhh, I hope you got the job, Dear. You've been looking for so long. And House Of Mouse isn't too bad a place to work. Depending on what you are doing.

Ohhhhhh yes, Dear. I agree about the cloths thing. I think they all look very cute in their little muggle cloths and all, but if I want to see a bunch of generally fashionably dressed teenagers, once again, I will head for my local mall, where they all seem to hang out in the summer months.

Von: Poor Von. Dear, you are a bit confused.

Let me try to sort this out for you. (Though it's bound to be a bit tough because even I'm a little lost where you came up with all this.)

O.K., first off, Enemies is not a sequel to The Bonds That Tie. The sequel to that story is one called Tried And Convicted. Enemies is an independent story with no connection currently to anything.

Next, the incidents you are speaking of (if I'm getting this right) are parts of previews I put at the end of certain chapters for the sequel to Family Life, called Family Relations. There were three of them, titled Meetings, Part One, Meetings Part Two, and (conveniently enough) Meetings Part Three.

Does that help at all, Dear?

Sorry you felt the story was a waste of time. I thought it was moving along quite nicely.

I do apologize for the confusion though, and the disappointment. But, have I written a continuation to that moment. Oh yes. As I said, those three chapters were previews to the whole story, which will likely run as long as Family Life, if not longer. Though I strive to keep my stories below 50 chapters. But first a few other stories have to post first so that one will make more sense. Enemies being one of them.

Oh, and yes, Dear, I am the original writer. 

And I agree, I think what Rowling has done to the poor child is almost as bad as anything I've seen done to him in Fanfiction stories.

****

A Dog's Day

jessicablack: Thank you, Dear. I'm glad you enjoyed it. But sorry, no sequel.

WallyTheWhale: Yes, this took place during Family Life. And I'm very glad you enjoyed the story and took the time to read it. Thank you.

****

Family Life

shayomac: Actually, I have several other stories out, as well as the sequel in the works to this story.

All reviews are as of 08082003. If I missed you.........oh well. Life is hard. (I mean, people, if you don't what to do by now.........honestly!)

Four little tigers, sitting in a tree,

One became a rich man's rug, now there's only three.

Three little tigers, wondering what to do,

One became a fashion coat, now there's only two.

Two little tigers, sitting in the sun,

One became hunter's trophy, now there's only one.

One little tiger, and the hunter's shot was bad,

So he got the hunter first,

Aren't you kinda glad.


	18. Chapter Thirteen C: A Night On The Town

A/N: You know, there are days I think have you guys all figured out. Then you go and do something like this to me.

Let's talk about dear old Kristen.

Folks, what did I do? Did I make her too likable? Has it just been too long since I introduced a new character? Is she really just that cute?

She was a 'throw-in' at best. A sounding board for Katlin. I never expected you guys to notice her, much less LIKE her!

Oh well. Such is life. It just goes to show you can never predict what your readers will latch onto.

However, I would like to point out rather firmly, this story is already written, and despite your feelings for or against certain characters, I am not inclined to change the plot.

SO, do NOT come whining to me later on, O.K.?

And that's all I'm gonna say.

Except, as alway...,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Still, despite the fact there are very few non-original characters in this story, I do not claim any of this as my own with exception to the plot....and most of the characters. Anything even remotely connected to Harry potter is the express property of JK 'I'm bored. I think I will buy a third world country and revitalize it over the weekend for a lark' Rowling and her less humanitarian minded publishers.

****

Chapter Thirteen C: A Night On The Town

While waiting to hear what Charly's explanation was, Orion decided he would do well to smooth over the waters with Katlin. She had not been pleased when she left him last, and nothing spoke of her mood louder than the fact that in the last few days that Charly had been in the house, he hadn't received as much as one e-mail from her. This from a woman whose last e-mail to him could have had her arrested for sending pornographic material via the internet. Not that Orion would have bothered reporting her.

Having heard nothing from her for the past three days, Orion decided that it was going to be up to him to re-open the lines of communication. Or at the very least, find out just how deep in it he was with his lover.

Letters were always good for that.

He started the letter with a very long, sincere apology that went on for most of the page and ended with an invitation to dinner. Orion re-read the letter a half a dozen times, changed it twice as many times, and reconsidered sending it a dozen more. But finally he hit the 'send' key on his computer.

Katlin kept him waiting three more days for a reply. A sign that Orion took as a good one, in that at least she was thinking it over. The return e-mail, however, left a great deal to be desired compared to her previous one. It was so short and formal that Orion could practically feel the coldness in it. But she had accepted the invitation nonetheless. So he had the opportunity at least to make amends.

Orion started by saying absolutely nothing when Katlin arrived at the house a half hour late. He simply greeted her with a small kiss on the cheek and asked her if she was ready to leave.

"I hope this isn't going to be a totally silent evening." Orion commented finally after they had driven several miles without so much as a word between them.

"You're the one not saying anything." Katlin replied in a level voice.

"Love," He said, turning briefly to her, "what more can I say that I didn't say in the note?"

"Did you asked your partner about his story?"

Orion paused. "No." He said finally. "But Charly still wasn't up to snuff even when he left to go home. He's still off the Department's active list even. It's only fair to give him a few days to recover."

"More like a few days to get his story right." Katlin added partially under her breath.

Orion sighed softly. "Love," he said finally, "could we please not argue over this? I thought this was one of those things we weren't suppose to talk about? You know. 'Business'."

Katlin sighed as she turned to the side, staring out at the scenery as they drove on. She thought back over the conversation she had had with Kristen and the promise she had made. Would it really hurt to give him a chance?

"All right." She said, trying to sound a little less formal. "You haven't said where we were going yet. You can start with that."

Orion paused again, causing Katlin to turn to him.

"Well?" she prompted.

"It's....sort of a surprise." Orion offered as an explanation.

Katlin turned back to the side. "All right." She replied. "I hope it's a good surprise."

"So do I." Orion replied in a quiet whisper, watching any hopes for an extended evening go right over the proverbial cliff. He slowly shook his head. He should have stuck to the standard. Get her into bed and shag her till sunrise. That always got him out of the doghouse.

Orion mentally shook off the thought. No. That wasn't what it was suppose to be anymore. He was suppose to be trying to show Katlin he was different from the other men she had known. And as such, sex wasn't going to be the reason or the answer to every problem between them anymore. Orion sighed a bit louder than he intended.

"That sounded hopeful." Katlin commented next to him.

Orion continued watching the road. "Did you ever find yourself in the middle of something, and have absolutely no idea how to get out of it?" He asked her candidly.

Katlin turned back to him. "Is that euphemistically, or are we actually in reality here?"

Orion shrugged. "I'm not really sure."

"Well, if you're not sure, how can I answer that?"

Orion turned briefly to her, then back to the road. "Katlin, all I wanted tonight was for us to have a quiet, peaceful evening together. But for the life of me, I just seem to keep screwing things up."

Katlin turned a thoughtful stare to him for a moment. She had to admit, he was trying awfully hard to make things up to her. And it probably wouldn't hurt any of she gave him just a little more leeway.

"You don't keep 'screwing things up'." She replied in a bit softer tone. "And the letter was very nice. I think in it you apologized for just about everything you've done since you were three. And you're right. What's between you and your partner is 'business'. So, for tonight, we won't discuss it and try instead to have a 'quiet, peaceful evening together'."

Orion turned to her with a genuine smile. "Does that mean I'm forgiven?"

Katlin turned back to the side. Give the man an inch..... "We'll see." She replied, not entirely keeping the smile out of her voice.

Katlin decided the best way to lighten the mood was to make a game out of trying to guess where they were going. But she found she hadn't even been close when they finally pulled into the parking lot of a small restaurant just outside of London. Still early in the evening, the two were practically the only car there, with most of the others likely belonging to the staff.

"And how many friends of yours will we run into here?" Katlin asked as Orion held the door open for her. Wherever they went, Orion seemed to know no less then a half dozen people who either worked at the establishment, owned it, or frequented it regularly. But Orion simply gave her a small smile.

"Not one." He replied. "I thought, since we're trying to make something of this relationship, it would be nice if we started going to places where we were both recognized, not just me, or you because you're with me, but as a couple.

Katlin gave him a genuine smile as he held the door to the restaurant open for her. 

"For a man constantly screwing things up," she told him past a quick kiss on the cheek, "I should warn you tonight you're doing a rotten job of it."

Orion gave himself a private, congratulatory smile as he followed her into the restaurant.

Just inside the doors they were met by a beaming Maitre d'.

"Good evening." The man smiled at them. "You are a bit early, I'm afraid. We don't start serving for another half-hour."

"I assume your bar is at least open?" Orion asked pleasantly enough.

"Of course, Sir." The man answered in an understanding way. "Will it be just two for dinner then?"

Orion dipped his hand into his jacket pocket, pulling out his wallet. "It will be just two for dinner." He stated, opening the bill fold and pulling out a good deal of money.

The Maitre d' followed his hands with the utmost attention. "I'm sorry, sir." He stated with a slightly uncomfortable stammer in his voice. "I...I'm not sure I understand."

Orion looked up at the man. "The lady and I prefer our privacy. How much to serve just us this evening?"

"Orion." Katlin began, her eyes widening slightly as she cast a glance at the man standing in front of them. But the Maitre d' hadn't taken his eyes off of the sheaf of bills in Orion's hands.

"B....but, sir......that would require closing the restaurant for the night. You're talking lost revenue...."

Orion began to finger through the bills.

"......and wages......" The man continued, still following the fingers movement.

Orion continued fingering through more bills.

"...and tips....." The Maitre d' added.

Orion peeled off several more bills.

"....and......valet revenue....." The man seemed to be honestly searching now.

Orion kept peeling off bills.

"....and........it would be a horrible inconvenience......."

Orion stopped fingering through the bills as he shifted his eyes back to the man. Abruptly he suddenly returned the bills to his wallet and placed it back in his jacket pocket. "Well, if it's going to be such a horrible inconvenience for you to make so much 'revenue' just to serve two people tonight, perhaps we can find somewhere else where they won't be so 'inconvenienced'."

The man practically dove after the disappearing wallet. "Oh, no!" He stated a little too quickly, but just as hurriedly pulled back, his hands folded tightly before him as he favored Orion with a patronizing smile. "Sir misunderstood me." He offered solicitously. "I merely meant that.....I would need.......need to inform the staff......that we would only be having two for dinner."

Orion returned his smile inch for inch. "Then off you go." He said.

As soon as the man disappeared, Katlin practically dissolved into fit of giggles as she leaned against her escort. "Ohhhh," she stated, "you are so very wicked."

"He was being a nuisance."

"You were baiting him....showing him that money. And where did you get so much muggle money, anyway?"

"Paper is easier to carry. And Gringotts accommodates me quite well in the larger exchanges."

"It must be nice...to be so rich."

Orion frowned slightly at the statement. "It has its price."

"For instance?"

Orion turned back to her with a very serious expression. "Its very lonely most of the time."

Katlin gave him a surprised look. "Lonely? I would think people would be lining up to be your friend if you have so much money."

"That's just the point, Love. They are, because your have so much money. Because of what they hope you can do for them."

"So what makes you think I'm not here for the same reason?"

Orion smiled at her. "Because your sleeping with me for information. I thought we had already established that?"

Katlin nudged him. "I'm serious. What makes you so sure I'm not after your money?"

"Because your not."

"Did your infamous Auror sixth sense tell you that?" She asked.

"No." He replied. "You did. When we first went to your apartment. You made a point of the fact that it was yours, and that you didn't owe anyone for it. That was very important to you. And in all these months, you've never asked me for anything. Even your pendant. As much as you wanted it, you didn't ask me to buy it for you."

Just then the Maitre d' reappeared with his most charming smile. "If you and the lady are prepared to be seated, sir?" He asked solicitously.

"I thought you didn't start serving for another half-hour?" Orion inquired casually, but with a small touch of sarcasm nonetheless.

"But sir is here now." The man replied with the proper smile. "And what is a half-hour? The chef would just be sitting about waiting anyway. And he is most eager to cook up something quite special for the sir and the madam."

Orion turned to Katlin with a genuine smile. "He sounds just like Tets, doesn't he?" He asked.

Katlin gave him a sharp elbow in the ribs as she followed the Maitre d's lead.

The man quickly seated them at the center table and all but ran off to get their wine, insisting on choosing it himself. When he came back he presented them each with a menu, but Orion quickly waved them off.

"You work here." He told then Maitre d'. "I'm quite sure you would know what the chef's specialty is."

The man positively beamed. "Oh, indeed. Sir has made a very wise choice. Our chef is well known for his pasta dishes. He will be thrilled that sir and madam are allowing him to make his specialty for them. As soon as sir and madam are ready, I shall tell him to start preparing your meal."

Orion watched the man hurry off after pouring each of them a glass of wine and waiting to make sure his selection was approved of. He then retreated back to the front of the restaurant where Orion could still see the man hovering just within his line of sight, should he be needed.

With a small sigh Orion decided it was time to get past what for him would be the worst part of the evening. Katlin had never even broached the subject of their talk over dinner at his house. And as much as he might dread the answer, he was curious to know if she had thought anymore about it.

"I was wondering, Love," he started cautiously, "if you had given any more thought to the talk we had?"

Katlin stopped in the middle of taking a sip of wine from her glass. As she set it slowly back down, she followed her own movements with her eyes.

"As a matter of fact, I have." She answered truthfully.

"And?"

Katlin paused, trying to collect her thoughts as well as form her answer. "Orion, I told you before, what you are asking for I don't think I can give you....."

"Look, I know you've been hurt before," Orion jumped in quickly, ready to plead his case one last time,"Katlin, I am not 'all those other men'. And when you decide on this, and you remember all the others; the ones who hurt you, who told you all their lies of loving you, please don't think of me as well. Because, Love." he added softly, taking her hands as she turned to look at him, "all I have ever wanted is in your eyes. Each night I go to bed, the happiest I have ever been in my life is holding you in my arms. And I look forward to each day that starts the same way."

Katlin sat staring at him for a moment. Studying the man sitting across from her, she remembered back to all the things she had told Kristen about him. All the traits, the affection, and the caring he had ever shown her was also in those eyes that now also held the most hopeful, sincere plea she had ever seen. 'Just to give him a chance', Kristen's voice echoed in her mind. 'Would it really hurt to try one last time?'

"You didn't let me finish." She said with a small, soft smile, curling her fingers gently about his. "What you're asking for, Orion, I don't think I can give you. But if you are willing to try..., and willing to be patient..., then so am I."

Orion's face lit into the most genuine smile Katlin had ever seen on it. 

"You mean that, Love?" He asked, barely containing his enthusiasm and the choked sound in his voice.

Not trusting her own voice, Katlin only answered with a small smile. The hand that had been clasping her's so tightly now reached up and gently caressed a path along her jaw and under her chin.

"I have to know," he asked, tracing a finger lightly over her lips, "what changed your mind?"

Katlin answered with the same small smile. "Someday I'll introduce you to her."

"Well, prepare her first."

"For what?"

"She's in for the biggest 'thank you' she's ever gotten."

Katlin's smile wrapped itself around the rim of her glass as she imagined Kristen's reaction to meeting with Orion's surely over-enthusiastic 'thank you'.

Three glasses of wine, an appetizer, and half a main course later, Orion was right in the middle of a story of one of his earlier exploits with his partner when a small sound interrupted him. Katlin looked up as Orion sighed loudly.

"Problems?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, Love." Orion replied, pulling out his wand. "I was on call tonight. But I was certain there wouldn't be any trouble."

Katlin watched Orion cast a quick concealment charm around them. As he conjured up a small fire, she discretely got out of view of whoever might be calling.

"Black!" 

Orion grimaced as the face of his superior appeared in the fire. "Yes, Bale." He answered politely nonetheless.

"There's a Deatheater gathering tonight. Just got word on it. Several of them were seen apparating to the lair in Clamdale. I want you to sit in on that meeting."

Katlin's eyebrows went up slightly, but Orion didn't so much as acknowledge that she was in the room with him. Nor did she expect him to. As far as he was concerned, she well knew, the minute Orin Bale appeared in the fire, he was in the room alone. It made for less questions if his superior didn't think otherwise.

"How long?" Orion asked.

"You should already be there."

Orion waved the fire out without another word.

"I am sorry, Love." He apologized to her again, waiting for Katlin to reseat herself across from him before he lifted the concealment charm. "We'll have to cut the evening short."

"I'm going with you." Katlin announced as though it were a natural part of the conversation.

Orion looked up from laying his napkin on the table. "What?"

"I'm going with you." Katlin repeated, meeting his stare.

"Love, this is a mission, not part of the evening's planned activities."

"Orion, there is no Deatheater meeting scheduled for tonight." She stated at him directly.

Orion thought for a moment. "What's the possibility they called one you weren't aware of?"

"None." She replied shortly. "If three Deatheaters were getting together tonight to play cards till dawn, I'd have heard of it. We don't gather unless Voldemort has called for such a meeting. And if he knows of it, so would I, as head of the Elite. If they are meeting, they are doing it on their own. In which case, I would need to know what's going on. If they are meeting and I wasn't told, I want to find out why."

Orion shrugged. "Just keep to your side of the fence." He stated as he got up, dropping several large bills on the table after he dropped the concealment charm.

Katlin grabbed her wrap off the back of the chair as the Maitre d' came scurrying into the room.

"Sir is not leaving!?" He stated in dismay. "Was something wrong?"

"No. Everything was fine. Excellent, in fact." Orion replied. "A call....on my beeper." He added quickly.

The Maitre d' gave him a sympathetic look. "Oh, we are sorry, sir. I do hope sir and madam will delight us with their presence again soon?"

Orion smiled at the man as he guided Katlin out ahead of him. "Oh, we're becoming quite fond of this place." He said. "The service is very good."

The man scurried after them, apologizing all the way to the door. Orion finally left him with a very large tip and followed Katlin quickly out to the car.

"It was a very nice evening." She commented as Orion climbed in next to her.

Orion started the engine. "And it's not even over yet." He replied, gunning the car out onto the highway.

Orion followed Katlin's directions until she estimated they were within a few miles of the Deatheater lair where the meeting was taking place. Once Orion had the car hidden, they apparated to a side wall of the lair, which like Katlin's own lair, was hidden in a large mountain cavern.

Running her hand over the wall, Katlin quickly found a small notch carved into the side of the cliff. Pulling out her wand she stuck the tip into the notch.

"Every Deatheater lair has a side opening." Katlin told Orion as a small doorway materialized before them. "And you owe me for that piece of information."

Orion shrugged. "Most Departmental offices failed their fire code inspections because they don't have enough exits. Will that do?"

Katlin sighed as she led the way into the lair. "Just stay behind me." She instructed.

A pair of arms quickly wrapped themselves around her waist and a body pulled up tightly against her's. "My favorite place."

A sharp elbow found his ribs again.

"Orion!" Katlin hissed at him as she deactivated one of the detection spells. "This is serious!"

"I'm aware of that, Love." He replied. "I just don't see why it involves you at the moment. And isn't our being here together against the rules?"

"Orion, there is a meeting going on here of which I have no prior knowledge. I need to know what's going on. Now, I would be here anyway. As far as I'm concerned, you just happen to be tagging along."

"I thought it was the other way around."

"Other way around?"

"You're tagging along with me."

"Just stay close, will you?"

"Any ideas yet?" Orion asked quietly after they had moved through several hundred yards of corridor and quite a few detections spells that Katlin had disarmed along the way.

Katlin sighed as she disarmed another spell. "I'm still working with the idea this is just a group of malcontents getting together to whine and fantasize about what they would do if they were stronger. And if it is then I'll deal with them as they should be."

"How far to the meeting area?"

Katlin thought for a moment as she looked about them. "I haven't been in this lair in some time. But we should be very close now. And if I tell you to leave, Orion," Katlin pointed out strictly, "you do so."

Orion immediately bulked at the command. "Katlin, if things get messy I'm not going to just leave you....."

"Orion, listen to me. We can't be seen together, so at some point we have to split up. Now, if I'm seen, I can explain my presence here. Can you?"

"But Katlin....."

"Orion, if your seen, you get out as quickly as you can. I can handle things much better if I'm not having to worry about where you are and what's happened to you."

"Katlin, in case you've forgotten, this is what I do for a living."

"And in case you've forgotten, these are my people. And the ones who are here are, after all, the ones with the explaining to do."

Orion sighed and dutifully continued to follow her lead. A few seconds later Katlin turned them into a small side tunnel which led to a narrow staircase that had been carved out of the rock. At the top Orion found himself entering a small chamber that had also been carved apparently out of the rock itself, fashioned with a small open panel. As they peered over the edge, Orion found they had a perfect view from the opening of the larger chamber below where several people were already gathered.

"Definitely looks like a get-together of some sort." Orion observed. "Not many malcontents though."

Katlin quickly shook her head. "Those aren't malcontents." She whispered.

"You actually have happy Deatheaters?"

"Orion," Katlin whispered, her voice sounding anxious. "those are Elite. Every one of them. But why would they be having a meeting tonight? And here of all places? Elite only meet in Voldemort's main lair. And why wasn't I informed of this? I'm head of the Elite. I should have been told."

"Maybe your invitation got lost in the mail." Orion offered.

Katlin shook her head. "It's not a question of an invitation, Orion. This is protocol. I am the only Elite who can call such a meeting without Voldemort's knowledge. And if Voldemort was aware of this meeting, I would have been told. I should have been here."

Orion paused for a moment as he thought over something that just struck him in Katlin's words. Abruptly he grabbed her hand and started for the door. "We need to leave. Now."

Katlin pulled back. "What? Why?"

"Because this is a trap, Katlin."

Katlin still sat frozen in her spot. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because of what you just said. 'You should have been told'. But you weren't. So how would you have found out?"

Katlin thought for a moment. "Because I was with you when your superior called."

"That is the only way you could have known. They are setting you up, Katlin. From the day you helped me escape, I could practically smell the suspicion on Treaks whenever he was near enough. Every time I look in the man's direction he was staring at me like I was something he couldn't quite believe in."

"Like a ghost?"

"Like an adversary. Now he's out to prove it."

Katlin paused, then shook her head. "This is insane. You don't know Johnathan."

"Then tell me, is Treaks one of the people down there?"

Katlin paused again for a few moments. "Yes. But Johnathan is an Elite. They're all Elites down there."

"All your people. Your kind. Just the ones he would want to discredit you in front of."

Katlin thought, then quickly shook her head again. "I can't believe he would do such a thing, Orion. It's going to far."

Orion grabbed her hand again. "Well, it's not going any further. We're leaving. He'll never have his proof."

But Katlin pulled back again from Orion's insistent lead. 

He quickly turned back to her, meeting a resolute stare he didn't like at all.

"Orion, Johnathan is going to get his proof." Katlin stated flatly.

"How?"

"We're going to give it to him."

Orion quickly crept back to where she sat. "Love, this is not the time for games. We need to get out of here...now."

But Katlin still refused to move as she turned to him. "Orion, I need you to leave."

"What?"

"I need you to leave, please."

"Leave?"

"I need you to trust me, and let me handle this. We have no idea if what you suspect is true. If it is, I'm ready for him. If it's not, I still need to know what's going on here. "

"Katlin this isn't just some tag-along for me. This is a mission. Now if something is going on here, my Department will want to know."

Katlin sighed quietly to herself. "Orion, I will tell you word for word what happens when I get back to the house. But I can't do anything if I'm distracted by knowing you're sitting up here."

"And I don't like the idea of leaving you in a potentially dangerous situation."

"Dangerous?" Katlin laughed softly. "Orion, these are my people. And they are the ones with the explaining to do. Not me. Remember? Now please, I'll come to the house as soon as I can. I promise."

"Tonight?"

Katlin shook her head. "This is likely to be a bit messy. I'll probably need to talk to Voldemort before this is all sorted out. Give me just a few days, Love, all right?"

As soon as she was sure Orion was well beyond any detection by the others at the lair, Katlin made her way down to the main meeting room. The person she planned to center the majority of her attention on, the man closest to her equal that was there, stood in the center of the room. Johnathan Treaks.

"Johnathan!" Katlin stated sharply as she entered the room. "Explain this!"

But as soon as the man turned to face her, Katlin felt she had made a fatal mistake. Johnathan stared back at her past an almost feral smile. His eyes narrowing as she approached him. Something was most definitely not right.

"I think the person who has the explaining to do, my Love," he replied smoothly, "is you."

"Me?" Katlin questioned. "I am not the one standing here in the midst of an unauthorized meeting, Johnathan." Katlin turned to the other Elite members in the room. "Since Mr. Treaks seems remiss of an explanation, perhaps one of you would care to offer one instead?"

Not a soul in the room moved. But Katlin could clearly sense the growing unease among her fellow Elite. She quickly rounded back on Johnathan.

"What is going on here?" She demanded again. "Why was there a meeting that I was not informed of?"

"Oh, but you were, my Love." Johnathan replied with the same feral smile. "And I can't tell you how very disappointed I am that you got your invitation."

"Disappointed?"

"Yes." Johnathan replied, turning about now to face the others. "There's been suspicion for some time, Katlin, that you were engaging in a.....questionable activity. Activity I would never have believed of you, Katlin. Head of the Elite. But still I brought the matter to Lord Voldemort's attention a few days ago. Naturally, convincing him you were engaged in anything so...distasteful....was a difficult task. But he allowed me to set up this small test, to prove my claim."

"What in the name of dark magic are you talking about, Johnathan!?" Katlin demanded.

The man approached with all the air of not just her equal, but suddenly her superior. "Katlin Griss," he announced formally, "you stand accused of consorting with the enemies of our lord Voldemort. Of passing information to the Department of Mysteries and conspiring against your fellow Elite Deatheaters."

Even as Treaks accusation hit her, Katlin turned about suddenly as she felt the cold rush of air that caressed it's way up her back. Standing before her now was lord Voldemort. 

Normally Voldemort would have demanded she answer the charge against her. But to her horror he said absolutely nothing.

By the stars! He believed them!

Katlin had never felt so frightened in her life. Despite her assertions to Orion she would be prepared for whatever happened, this she was not prepared for at all. She stared up at her lord with terror filled eyes even as she fought to get her emotions back under control.

"It is a lie!" She stated in as clear a voice as she could manage. But still it came out sounding very weak and frightened. "They are all lies." Tears quickly filled her eyes as she met the look on her lord's face. It was disbelief, anger, and, worst of them all, disappointment. "I have not betrayed you, my lord." She said softly. A statement meant only for him to hear. "I swear to you. I would never hurt you."

But Voldemort only turned his eyes slowly to the man standing behind her.

"As you know, my lord," Treaks stated in the same formal tone, "this meeting was arranged at the exclusion of Katlin Griss. The only way in which she could have gained knowledge of this meeting was from the Unspeakable Auror Orion Black. Information of this meeting was passed on by one of our informants to the Department of the Unspeakables, who verified that the information was passed on by the Department to the Auror Orion Black just over an hour ago. The only manner in which Griss could have learned of this meeting was that at the time she was with the Auror."

Katlin stood stock still the entire time as she listened to Johnathan unfolding his plan before her. She had reigned down her emotions as she listened. Calmed herself enough that she could quickly set to work on setting her own trap. The one she had planned out should Orion's suspicions prove true. Now she turned her eyes slowly to meet those of her lord, a cold anger shining in them now.

"Yes." She stated in a smooth, cold voice. "I was with the Auror, my lord. As have I been for weeks now. Seducing him. Playing him. Gaining information from him." Katlin rounded suddenly on the man behind her with a tidal wave of fury. "All of which has been jeopardize now because of you!" She nearly shouted at Treaks in her growing anger. "You and your inability to control your petty jealousies have put weeks of my hard work at risk."

"Katlin!"

Katlin spun back around to face Voldemort. "My lord?"

The dark lord's voice soften just slightly. "Your actions, Katlin, I find questionable. Not in and of themselves, but in how you deployed them. You told no one of this 'work' you were doing. You know the dangers of such actions."

Katlin turned an apologetic look to Voldemort. "I am sorry, my lord." She said softly. "I was wrong not to tell you of this. But Orion Black is a very strong Auror. Very well versed in his skills. I felt that absolute secrecy was needed in order to fool him. To make the affair seem genuine. I didn't want to risk losing him. He's very high placed in the Department of the Unspeakables, and I felt what I could learn from him could be of great help to you."

Voldemort studied his Elite for several long minutes. Katlin could practically feel him in her mind looking for any lie. But Katlin had solidified the story right down to her subconscious for weeks. Engraining it so firmly that she nearly believed it herself. Sex for secrets. That's all it was about. 

Finally Voldemort turned away from her, fixing his gaze now on a very uncomfortable looking Treaks.

"Treaks, I have been far too patient with you in this matter. You have accused the head of my Elite of a most serious crime and been found in error yourself as to her motives." Voldemort turned his attention then to the other Elite gathered in the chamber. "I find no clear evidence against Katlin Griss that she has betrayed any of you. All she has shown is poor judgment, for which she will be punished."

Katlin's head snapped up. Punished?

"Treaks' crime is far more serious, and I shall deal with him as I see fit. Katlin's crime is against the order of the Elite, not me. Therefore she shall be punished by you, her fellow members."

Katlin fought every instinct in her not to turn to face those standing behind her. To see their faces. She was getting off easy. The punishment was as nothing to what it might have been had Voldemort not believed her.

She only wished she could be there for Johnathan's. 

****

Q&A

Werepup: Good old Kristen. Given a bit more time, she might have overshadowed Katlin as the main female character in this story.

'What's up with Charly' remains to be seen.

Sailor Sol: Kristen is a little over enthusiastic. But betray her best friend? Who happens to be one of the deadliest of the Elite Deatheaters? Not a move to live by, if you know what I mean.

The 'wizard in the north' thing came out as a fluke. I forgot Hogwarts is in Scotland, and how confusing that might be. But no, he is a separate entity unto himself. He is not Dumbledore. He is not associated with Hogwarts, and he cares just about as much.

Thank you for permission to use the line.

So glad you like the chapter numbering system.

whitemudfounder: Despite how strange it sounds, I figured the name had to have something to do with a story such as you told.

Again, sorry for the confusion, but no, the 'wizard in the north' has nothing to do with Hogwarts. But keeping in mind that Rowling, to my recollection, never said exactly where in Scotland Hogwarts is, you can safely assume this wizard is on the opposite side of the country.

sweets: Awwwwwww. You got numbered.

Sorry, Dear. The package has nothing to do with the pictures. But I hope you will enjoy it anyway.

The song came from the movie CHESS by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson, and Bjorn Ulvaeus (Yah, Abba!) called Heaven Help My Heart. I use a lot of songs from this musical, as a matter of fact. But this one just seemed to speak so well of the situation Katlin has found herself in. All in all it is a very sad song.

Katlin is trying very hard to see past the 'using' part of this 'relationship'. But most of her relationships have been based on just that premise, so she has a lot of baggage to try and unload if she's ever going to trust that Orion loves her just for who she is, not what she can do for him.

Ohhhhhhh! Another interview!? Good luck, girl!

Silverfox: And another who got numbered!

Actually, I'm still split on Tonks. Can't decide if I like her or not. Hard to like a character in a book you hated.

Yes. Believe it or not, Katlin has friends. Well....., she has a friend.

When you have two such opposing forces, it's hard to tell whose holding their cards closest to their chest. The basic line with Orion and Katlin came out clearest to date in this chapter. They will stand and protect each other, all politics aside. Orion knows he loves her. And he's starting to see that maybe...., just maybe, there is something more important in life than your work. 

Katlin is still working on that one.

Orion and Charly are going to have a little talk. Just maybe not the one they need to have.

skahducky: Personally, I think towards the end of the book most of the characters just sort of ran out of steam, as did the plot line seem to.

Still can't seem to find much good to say about it.

****

Family Life

UndomielEvenstar: Thank you, Dear. So glad you enjoyed it.

All reviews are as of 08172003.


	19. Chapter Thirteen Pi: Fun And Games

A/N: I don't know that it's the longest chapter, but I think it is the longest one to date.

The number for this chapter is for Sailor Sol. It was originally Chapter Thirteen D, but I couldn't resist.

Disclaimer: Go back and read chapter one again. 

****

Chapter Thirteen Pi: Fun And Games

Orion returned home in a disgruntled mood. He hadn't liked leaving Katlin at the meeting alone. But he had to agree with her reasoning. She could handle the situation better than he could likely, and if the situation were reversed, he understood how much of a distraction his being there would be to her. And trying to contact her before she came to him could put her in danger without his realizing it.

And so with little else to do than wait, Orion turned his attention to matters of his own that still needed settling. One, what to tell Bale about the meeting he hadn't actually stayed through. 

The other was his partner's story.

Orion hated the idea of having to confront Charly about the supposed attack. He hated even more how he had to go about it. He couldn't tell Charly where he had gotten the information, and so he had to make a good show of finding it some other way.

As soon as he got to the office the next day, Orion started digging into records on his computer. He dug far and deep, leaving a trail a child could follow to show his activity. Once he finished there he began asking around the office for any reports anyone had heard of any activity to find the Deatheaters who had attacked his partner. From there he went to his informants on the streets and made an equally good show of seeking out any information on any Deatheaters having attacked a lone Unspeakable on the night Charly had told him he had been attacked. 

Orion had dreaded having to go to Charly with his findings. But Charly actually made it a great deal easier by making the first move himself. On the sixth morning of his search, Orion looked up to find his partner standing in the doorway of his office.

"You have a minute, Orion?" Charly asked.

"Sure." Orion tried to sound as causal as he could as he continued working on his computer. "What's up?"

Charly stepped into the office, closing Orion's door behind him and casting a quick silencing charm on the room, which caused Orion to immediately stop what he was doing as he turned his attention back to his partner.

"This sounds a bit serious." Orion commented.

"It is serious." Charly replied. "I understand you've been digging like a dog after a bone around the events the night I got attacked." Charly added, seating himself on the edge of Orion's desk.

"That right."

"Why?"

"Why?" Orion looked as surprised as he could. "Charly, you got the snokkers kicked out of you that night. Come on, mate! I'm just trying to set up the rematch. Can't do that if we don't know who to corner in a back alley, now can we?"

"I want you to stop, Orion." Charly replied solemnly.

Orion put on a mildly confused expression. "Stop? Merlin's Beard, Charly, Why? We can't just let those bastards go on thinking they can attack one of us and there won't be any pay back."

Charly sighed loudly as he turned to the ceiling for a moment, then shook his head, turning back to his partner. "You couldn't just let it go, could you?"

Orion continued to look confused. "Charly, this is pay back. It's almost a requirement in these situations."

"Not this one, Orion."

"And does this come with an explanation?" Orion asked calmly, praying as hard as he ever had that it did.

Charly sighed again as he studied the ceiling once more before turning back to Orion. "There were no Deatheaters, Orion."

Orion sat in stunned silence. No reaction could have been more genuine to Charly's announcement then the one he got.

"What do you mean, 'no Deatheaters'?" Orion asked quietly.

"I mean I lied." Charly replied shortly. "There were no 'Deatheaters'. There was no attack by 'Deatheaters'. I did not get my tail kicked by 'Deatheaters'."

"You beat yourself up?"

Charly stood up and began pacing the small office. "No. There was an attack, mate. It just wasn't Deatheaters."

"Then who?"

Charly stopped his pacing and turned to face Orion. "It was muggles."  
"Muggles?"

"A few muggles to be more exact."

"A few?"

"Five. Maybe six. After the first few seconds I wasn't sure of much at all."

Orion sighed to himself as he leaned back in his chair. Of all the things Charly could have told him, this was certainly low on the list. "So, does this come with an explanation as well, or are we just going to do twenty questions until I get it right?"

Charly seated himself in a large lounge chair behind Orion's desk. "Everything on the mission went like clockwork. Not so much as a hitch. But when I finished up that night and was headed home, I was so stinking tired I hardly knew my own name. The next thing I knew someone blindsided me. Came out of a side alley so fast I never saw anything coming. He got me good with the first hit. I went straight down. One second after that his mates all joined in and.....well, the only laugh I got out of the whole thing was they didn't get so much as a shilling off of me."

"You were mugged?"

"Mate, I don't know if it was a robbery or just a bunch of drunken alley scum out looking for a bit of fun. And I don't much care."

"But why did you say....?"

"Orion," Charly cut him off abruptly, "what was I suppose to say? I was coming home and I got jumped by a bunch of muggles and had the snokkers kicked out of me?" Charly shook his head again with another loud sigh. "You have no idea what it's like for me, Orion. Being a muggle in the middle of a Department of wizards. Every day I feel like I have to prove myself all over again from the day before. Prove that I'm good enough. Prove that I can hold my own. Prove that I can handle magic with the best of them."

Orion was stunned. "But, Charly......you've done all that."

"Weren't you listening, Black?" Charly repeated. "I feel like I have to go through the same thing every day. Proving myself over and over and over again. And to top it off, I'm partnered with the best agent the Department has. I can't screw up, Orion. I'm not the wizard you are." Charly gave a small laugh. "Heck, I'm not even half the wizard you are." Charly leaned over the edge of the desk. "I'm no wizard at all, Orion. I'm a muggle. And everyday I feel like I have to fight to keep my place here. One screw up and Bale and Olivers are going to think I can't handle it anymore. Then goodbye magic, goodbye job, goodbye money, and.....goodbye partner."

"That'll never happen!" Orion shot back fiercely. "Everyone's entitled to mistakes, Charly. We all make them. Wizards and muggles alike."

But Charly only shook his head. "Not here, mate. Not for this muggle. You're Bale's golden child, Orion. He's priming you day by day to take his place. He finds out about this, that Charly Misser couldn't even hold his own against a bunch of muggles, and I'll be out the door so fast I'd be surprised if Bale would bother opening it for me first."

Orion jumped to his feet, pointing a finger directly in his partner's face. "First of all, Charly, Bale is going to die sitting in his chair of old age, so I wouldn't worry too much who he wants to replace him. Secondly, since you draw your magic off of me, that makes you every bit the wizard I am. And finally, the day that this Department is so stupid as they fire one of the best damned agents I've ever worked with is the day I leave myself. You have nothing to be ashamed of in how you do your job. I wouldn't have anyone else for my partner....."

"That's because we're friends, Orion." Charly cut him off quickly.

"I'm sorry to disillusion you, 'friend'," Orion replied with a smile that verged on a sneer, "but in this line of work, sentimentality can get you killed. I partnered with you because I felt you were the best person for the job. My 'friend' is who I go out and have a drink with after work. My 'partner' is who I trust my life to." Orion pulled back from him. "So you got jumped?" He stated past opened arms. "So what? It happens, Charly."

Charly got back to his feet, stepping right up to his partner. "Well, it can't happen to me, Orion. Not is this business. It's a black mark against my record. One I can't afford. So you'll just have to excuse me for turning a bunch of muggles into a pack of Deatheaters. For all I've taken off of those blighters over the years, I felt that for once they could do something for me."

"You falsified a report, Charly." Orion replied calmly. "I found out. Someone else might. You want to talk about a black mark on your record?"

"Are you planning on being the pair of lips wrapped around that whistle?"

"You know I won't."

"Then I don't see why anyone else should care."

"If Bale finds out....."

"He won't. Not if you drop this information scavenger hunt your on. Just let it lay, Orion. Please. For my sake."

Orion stood for a minute staring back at the man before him. He couldn't believe the lengths the man had gone to to hide the truth from everyone. But he also wasn't going to be the one to expose him.

"All right." Orion replied finally. "I'll drop the matter."

Charly let out an audible sigh of relief. "I appreciate it, partner. You have no idea how much." 

"I just think you're going overboard on this, Charly." Orion added. "No one would have thought one bit different about you because of what happened."

"Because you're looking at it like a wizard, Orion. You can't see this from my point of view. You aren't able. Now please, just let it go. Everybody's happy with the version I told them. Especially me."

Orion shook his head slightly. "Lies always come back to haunt you in this business, Charly." Orion warned him.

Charly quickly undid the silencing charm and left Orion's office without further comment. But he stopped outside his partner's door and leaned against it for a moment in relief. "Yes they do, mate." He whispered finally, pulling away from the door and heading down the hallway. 

Charly had known from the start the story he told with have to be intermingled with some level of truth in order to fool his partner. To make the whole thing just believable enough that Orion would disregard the tale-tailed feelings of the lie coming through as just a case of nerves or embarrassment. All in all, the story ended as a well constructed balance of truth and fiction, delivered with flawless perfection.

"Yes they do."

A full day later it was with more than relieved concern that Orion opened his door late in the evening to find Katlin standing on his doorstep.

Without a thought, he rushed forward and grabbed her in his arms and pulled her to him. But his actions met with a slight noise that sounded suspiciously like pain from her.

Orion quickly let go of her and pulled back.

"Katlin?" He asked. But he stopped from going any further. One look at her told him all he needed to know.

A worried expression met her's as Orion brushed a thumb gently over the bruise on her cheek.

"What happened?" He asked just the same.

Katlin shrugged, wincing slightly from pain.

"You didn't think there wouldn't be any punishment at all?" She replied quietly.

Orion sighed sadly as he stepped up to her again and carefully wrapped her in his arms, gently leading her inside as he closed the door behind her.

Inside the safety of his home he wrapped her a little more securely in a tender embrace.

"What can I do?" He whispered softly.

Katlin buried her face into his shoulder as her arms slipped about his waist.

"You're doing it." She whispered back.

Orion let her stay in his arms for as long as she wanted, or at least until he felt her leaning her weight more and more against him.

"All right," He said softly to her as he wrapped an arm securely about her waist, "I think it's way past someone's bedtime."

"Oh, I'm sorry for keeping you up past your bedtime." She answered with a small smile.

Orion smiled down at her as he led her to the stairs. "Brat. I meant you 'someone'. Lets get you to bed."

But Katlin dug her heels in. "Orion, I have to get back."

"And you need a few days of tending to." He replied past a firm stare. "Where exactly do they think you are right now?"

Katlin sighed. "They probably think I'm off licking my wounds somewhere. I'm well-known for it."

"Sulking?"

"Something like that."

"Well, you're in for the best damn sulk you ever had." he stated, leading her once again to the stairs.

"Orion." Katlin dug her heels in again.

Orion turned to her. "What is it?"

Katlin paused as she turned to the stairs, then turned her gaze back to him. "I'm just.....I don't think I'll be a lot of fun right now."

Orion suddenly understood her hesitancy at even staying.

"I'm not looking for 'fun', Katlin." He replied gently. "You came to me for whatever reason besides 'fun', and I'm going to see that you're taken care of. Now, come with me." He added, holding his hand out to her. "There's a nice, warm, private bath waiting for you and a nice soft bed in the guest room."

Katlin smiled slightly up at him as she slipped her hand into his.

A few minutes later Katlin found herself relaxing in a large tub of warm water while Orion added several vials to it. Each added ingredient seemed to practically charge the water around her as it worked over her sore body like a gentle massage. Orion spent much of the time seated behind her as he gently washed and rinsed her hair for her. When he finished he leaned over her from the back and gently whispered to her to stay in the water for at least another half hour and he would come and get her when the time was up. Placing a gentle kiss on her lips, he quietly left her to finish soaking in the tub.

Shortly after a half hour was up Katlin found herself being tenderly nudged out of a half awake state. Orion carefully helped her from the tub and helped her dry off. He then led her down the hallway to a room with a large, four poster-bed with a soft, down comforter over it. Katlin slipped beneath the sheets and pulled them up around her. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this warm and relaxed.

"Everything all right then?" Orion whispered to her as she lay against the pillows with closed eyes and a pleasant, relaxed smile on her lips.

Katlin didn't feel she could manage more than a slight nod. But she did manage a smile for him as she snuggled down in the sheets a bit more and pulled the comforter up a bit higher.

"It's a charmed comforter, you know." Orion told her.

Katlin opened her eyes and stared at him.

"You just wait until it reaches a temperature under there you like, then tell it to 'stay', and it'll stay that temperature the rest of the night." 

"What about you?" She asked in a half-asleep sounding voice.

"Me?"

A hand worked its way out from under the comforter and found his, wrapping slowly about it.

"Stay." She said softly.

Orion smiled slightly at her.

"You only had to ask." He replied.

Katlin watched him quickly pull out of his clothes before pulling back the comforter and sliding in next to her. Her arms quickly wrapped themselves about him as she cuddled up next to his body, shivering slightly at the rush of cold air.

Orion pulled down next to her under the covers with a small laugh. "Getting out of bed or back in negates the spell, by the way." He informed her.

"Then we'll just have to wait for it to warm up again." She muttered softly, settling against his chest.

"Just don't make it too hot." He whispered to her, kissing the top of her head. "I hate a hot bed."

"Of what?" Came the muttered response.

Orion laughed softly again. He didn't bother to answer. He doubted she would have heard him as he felt her whole body relax against his as she settled almost instantly off to sleep.

Orion woke the next morning with a bit of a start. The first thing he registered was that he wasn't in his bed. The second was it wasn't his room. Third was the body next to him.

As the situation came back to him quickly enough, he carefully settled back down against the pillows, hoping he hadn't woken Katlin up. He lay for several moments listening to her breathing. Finally convinced she was still asleep, he relaxed down to waiting for her to wake up. 

Without much else to do to occupy his time, Orion decided to fill the spare space by simply watching Katlin sleep. It amazed him how a woman who was likely ranked by his own department as one of the most dangerous of Voldemort's Deatheaters, could look so perfectly harmless while she was asleep. 

Her auburn hair lay spread in an array over the pillow behind her. A few strands cascading over her shoulder and across her neck. From somewhere hidden in the dark ribbons, a small diamond caught a bit of the morning light and reflected it back.

Orion didn't think he would ever forget the day he gave her that pendent. He was long past being simply enchanted with her at that point. But it wasn't being simply obsessed with her either. It was much worse than that and he had known it long before he had seen her standing before the tiny jewelry store window. Of all the women who had been in his life, of all the ones he had dated, the few he had given any serious thought to, the one he had fallen in love with was the last one he should have.

A Deatheater.

Despite his best efforts to distract it, Orion felt his mind begin an all too familiar mental trek down the road of logic. One he couldn't seem to help but find himself on from time to time. 

Katlin was a Deatheater. One of Voldemort's best agents. She had likely killed a fair number of Aurors in her time. Possibly even a few of his own people. Maybe even people he knew. Friends. Acquaintances. People he had fought beside for years. She was the enemy of everything he believed in and fought for all these years.

He knew he should put a stop to it. To what was going on between them. A permanent one. Arrest her. Take her to the department. Let them question her. She was likely to be an invaluable source of information. A few days with her and they could learn more than months of spying on the Deatheaters.

And when they were done with her.......

Things suddenly started to get a bit fuzzy in Orion's train of thought. Somehow his mind didn't seem to want to go any further with the thought.

But he didn't need it to. He knew all too well what would happen next. He'd seen it often enough. Captured Deatheaters were sent to Azkaban. After that he never cared, although he had a pretty good idea of their fates. The more harmless ones were sent there for life. The less harmless ones, the one's like Katlin, were given to the Dementors to be Kissed. The Department wanted them utterly destroyed. With no hope of ever coming back. Nor did they simply want to waste the manpower guarding them. 

It was a very popular solution to a very unpopular problem.

Katlin suddenly broke his fragile train of thought as she shifted against him in her sleep. A long, slender white arm snaked its way across his chest and wrapped itself securely about his body as she pulled herself up tighter to him.

All the thoughts in his mind just then went blurry.

'Oh, well,' He told himself as he glanced down at her still sleeping next to him, quickly dismissing the ideas that were fading out of his mind. He wasn't very interested in that train of thought anyway.

But the one that took its place he was all too happy to pursue. Like it or not, logical or not, safe or not, he was in love. With a Deatheater.

So it wouldn't be easy. So no one else was likely to understand, much less approve. All that mattered was that they loved each other.

Logic rose up with a vengeance at the thought and quickly slapped it into non-existence.

He loved her. There was no proof whatsoever to support the other half of the equation.

Orion frowned at the thought. It was a point to consider.

"Oh, that's much too serious a look for this time of the morning."

Orion was snapped out of his thoughts by the comment. He turned to see Katlin laying on his chest, staring up at his face.

"Hmmm?"

"That look," she repeated. "That's much too serious for this hour of the morning."

Orion managed a smile for her.

He was instantly rewarded. 

"Ohhhhhh, that's much better." She cooed at him as she pulled up and kissed him lightly on the lips. Settling back against him, she cuddled up in his arms as he wrapped them about her.

"Now," she stated, "tell me what had you so deep in thought this morning?"

Orion thought for a moment about whether to tell her. 

"It was nothing." He stated finally.

Katlin suddenly pulled up out of his arms and turned a fixed stare on him. "You're going to start the day by lying to me?" She scooted over in the bed, swinging her feet out from under the covers. "Well, this day has a lot of promise."

"What?"

Katlin turned back to him. "I know when I'm being lied to, Orion. And I won't take it from you of all people.

"All right." He said a bit firmly. "You want to know what I was thinking about?"

Katlin paused, then pulled her feet back under the covers and scooted back over next to him, looking at him expectantly.

The bruise on her cheek and the one under her eye were both more prominent than they had been the night before. 

Orion reached out and lightly traced a finger over the bruise on her cheek.

"I was wondering how someone who you claim cares so much about you, would allow others to do this to you."

Katlin pulled back slightly, but her expression was utterly neutral, revealing nothing. "It was punishment, Orion. Pure and simple. It had nothing to do with how Voldemort feels about me."

Orion sighed as he pulled his hand back. "It just seems like an awful lot to go through just to keep having fun and games." He replied.

Katlin smiled at him, scooting over closer to him. "I like our fun and games." She said with a small smile. "As a matter of fact, I had the most wonderful idea for......."

"Katlin, what if it wasn't all 'fun and games'?" Orion cut her off abruptly.

Katlin stopped short in mid-sentence. She paused for a moment as she let her mind work over the words. 

"What do you mean?" She asked quietly.

"Just that." Orion repeated. "What if it wasn't all just 'fun and games' anymore."

"I thought we already established that it wasn't just that." Katlin replied.

"Katlin, what if I was in love with you?" Orion asked bluntly.

From the look on Katlin's face, Orion surmised that wasn't the statement she was expecting. As guarded as she tried to be with her emotions, the look was clearly one of surprise.

"In love?" She asked in a disbelieving tone. "And when did you decide this?"

Orion sighed again as he studied the ceiling, thinking. "I would have to say when I kissed you."

"In the lair?"

"In the alleyway."

"In the alleyway?" Katlin repeated, none of the disbelief leaving her voice. "The first time you kissed me you were in love with me?"

"Pretty much."

"You didn't even know me."

"I had been devoting a lot of fantasizing time to you."

"You fell in love with your fantasy, Orion." Katlin replied.

"Well, it was your fault then that I fell in love with you." He defended.

"Mine?"

"You lived up to it." He answered. "Surpassed it even."

Katlin couldn't completely hide the small smile at his statement.

"So," Orion ventured, "is there any hope at all?"

Katlin sat for a moment staring at the covers as the smile drifted off her lips.

Orion sighed to himself as he turned back to the covers. An answer, any answer, even a negative one, was better to him than silence.

"I see."

But A firm hand on his arm turned him back to her. "No, you don't." Katlin said. "You don't see at all."

"Well then?"

"Would you be terribly disappointed in me if I said....I didn't know?"

Orion smiled slightly as a wave of relief washed over him. That answer he could actually work with. Could understand. 

He leaned over and kissed her head softly.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not the one being asked to give up a part of themselves, Katlin." Orion answered. "Being asked to give up my whole life. I'm not the one who feels like I'm being asked to do something I felt was going to betray someone who trusts me. Who I felt, in their own way, loved me."

"He does love me, Orion." Katlin put in quickly, leaning her body against him as she sat up against the pillows behind her.

Orion turned to her, lightly tracing a finger once more over the bruise on her cheek.

"This isn't love, Katlin." He said.

"And this is?" She asked, leaning in more against him.

Orion sighed again as he hugged her to him. "Oh Love, I think the good news is....I think we're off to a really good start."

"And the bad news." Katlin asked quietly.

Orion shrugged under her. "I have no idea to what."

Many arguments later, Katlin snuggled back down in the covers as Orion got up and headed for the shower. She had put up as much of a show of defiance as she cared to. But quite frankly, long boring meetings in a hot room filled with people didn't stack up too well against a day in a soft, comfortable bed while she had the daylights pampered out of her by an incredibly attractive man.

Shifting under the covers slightly, she winced against a pain in her side. She sighed slightly and, pulling up in the bed, summoned a mirror off the dresser. As she held it up, she winced again. But this time it was from the sight of her reflection. The bruises were a bit darker than they had been before, and they still stung a great deal. 

She never committed to memory who was responsible. They were, after all, only doing what they were told to do. Mostly out of fear more than any real desire to punish her. Mostly because many of them had had to endured the same. And refusal was not advised.

Katlin sighed as she lowered the mirror. Orion had been so upset last night. And so concerned.

She smiled slightly at the memory. It had been a long time since she had been able to look to another for comfort in her pain. And it was...pleasant...to have someone who understood.

Someone who cared for the sake of caring.

Katlin laid the mirror on the bedside table and crawled back under the cover.

She smiled at the memory of the night before. 

Orion had been absolutely wonderful. 

He had done whatever he could to take away some of the pain. And when they finally went to bed he had asked nothing of her. Instead he had wrapped her protectively in his arms and held her gently against his body until she had fallen asleep. 

When she had woken the second time that morning, it had been to the same, protective embrace. And to the same concerned, pensive stare as he gently brushed a hand over her cheek and asked her if she wanted to stay the rest of the day.

And a few half-hearted arguments later, she was headed for, as Orion had said the night before, the best damn sulk of her life.

Pampering was good.

A small smile crept across her lips. But it quickly vanished under the pain from the bruised muscles underneath, replaced just as quickly by a slight frown.

"Excuse please, Misses."

Katlin's eyes flew open. 

A soft shriek later she was sitting up in the bed, staring back at a small pale green creature, standing at the side of the bed, looking at her with a mixture of concern and interest.

"The Misses remembers Tets?" The little house-elf ask.

Katlin gave the little creature a small, tentative smile.

"Hello, Tets." She said softly. "Yes, I remember you."

Tets look up at her, the expression on his face looking like he was about to burst into tears.

"Is....is the Misses all right?" He asked quietly.

Katlin thought for a moment about what the little elf was asking. But a hand suddenly came up to her cheek. 

She managed a slightly better smile for him the second time.

"Oh....I'm fine. A.....small accident. That's all. I'm fine."

"I could.....perhaps make the Misses a cup of tea?" He asked hopefully.

Katlin gave him another smile. "Oh, Tets, that would be lovely. Thank you."

The small creature positively beamed at her.

"Tets will be back straight away, Misses." And with that, the little creature disappeared.

When Orion came out of the shower, he was surprised to find Katlin sitting up in bed sipping at a cup of tea, a stack of pillows piled comfortably behind her. On the foot of the bed before her, sat Tets, who was animatedly gesturing about as he spoke to Katlin.

"Tets!" He stated so loudly that both occupants of the bed jumped slightly.

The little elf turned about so abruptly he nearly lost his balance.

"Ma...ma...ma....master?!" Tets stammered in his reply.

Orion looked over the scene carefully, then turned his gaze back to Tets. 

"What are you doing here, Tets? Have you been bothering my guest?"

"No, Master!"

Orion shifted his gaze to Katlin. "Has he said anything to you?" He asked in a slightly softer voice.

"Aside from asking me if I took milk in my tea?" Katlin asked, her voice slightly edged with annoyance as she stared back at Orion.

Orion advanced on the little creature, who looked up at his master with wide eyes. "I's is not saying anything to the Misses." Tets stated quickly. "I's is only concerned."

But before Tets could say another word, he suddenly found himself grabbed from behind and yanked back over the bed. Trying to sort things out, he found himself quickly wrapped in a pair of long, smooth white arms that held him protectively against the soft, padded pillow of the woman's chest.

"Orion Black!" Katlin nearly shrieked. "How dare you speak like that to him?"

Tets watched from between the woman's arms as his master abruptly backed down under her tone.

"You don't understand, Katlin." He stated softly again. "Tets sometimes says things....that are inappropriate...to the wrong people when he's alone with them for too long. I only wanted to make sure he hadn't...."

"And what did he say to me that was inappropriate?" The woman fired back in a heated voice. "If he could make me breakfast? Bring me another pillow? Some potion for my pain?"

The grip around Tets tightened protectively.

"I will not have you yelling at this poor thing!" She demanded. "He hasn't done one thing wrong! All he has done, in fact, is sat here and kept me company."

Tets poked his head out from between the two arms holding him against the woman.

"I's is only keeping the Misses company." He agreed. "I's is meaning no harm, Sir."

Tets couldn't for the life of him understand why Orion was so angry. Usually Tets was just told to leave the room when Orion caught him trying to make one of the Master's female guests feel at home. But this time the master seemed genuinely angry.

Orion's gaze shifted from Tets back to Katlin.

"You're sure he hasn't said anything.....offensive to you?"

Katlin looked shocked. "Like what?"

Orion seemed to search for the right words.

"Tets has a propensity for.....finding Deatheaters in my house." Orion said slowly. "Everyone who comes in the door he thinks is one."

Katlin suddenly smiled as she stared down at the little elf. 

Tets thought he saw something of a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Really?" Katlin asked slowly, turning Tets to her. "Well, now. Aren't you the clever little one. Protecting your master from the evil Deatheaters."

Tets beamed at Katlin.

"Oh yes, Misses. Tets is very good at knowings Deatheaters. They's is clever, they is. But Tets knows Deatheaters when he sees thems."

"Really, Tets?" Katlin asked in a soft purr of a voice. "Well, I'm sure your master must feel very safe having you about."

His earlier confrontation with his master forgotten, Tets bask in Katlin's praise. 

"Tets serves his master very well, Misses. Keeps my master and his house very safe."

"And surely no Deatheater could ever get past such a clever little elf as you."

Tets cast a curious stare at Orion as he slid out of Katlin's arms onto the bed in front of her. But as that he wasn't being reprimanded anymore, he quickly turned his attention back to her.

"Most certainly not, Misses." He answered formally. "No house elf is as good at spotting Deatheaters as Tets."

"Really?" Katlin seemed genuinely impressed.

Tets beamed at her happily as he nodded.

"But Tets." Katlin asked in a concerned voice. "Aren't you afraid of Deatheaters? Of what they might do to you if they caught you?"

Tets looked at her sternly. "Oh no, Misses!" He stated confidently. "Is much to being the other way round, it is."

"Other way round?"

"Deatheaters is afraid of Tets. Is why nones is ever coming in my master's house."

Katlin looked even more impressed. "My, but you certainly are brave."

Tets smiled happily. "Tets is not being afraid of Deatheaters, Misses. Never."

"Tets?" Orion said softly, slipping onto the bed next to Katlin as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

Tets turned back to his master.

"Yes, Sirs?"

"You know, Misses knows lots of Deatheaters."

Tets looked surprised. "Ah!" He reasoned quickly. "Misses is an Auror. Like the master."

Katlin shook her head as she giggled slightly. "Nope."

Tets looked at her a bit tentatively. "Misses works for the ministry?"

Katlin shook her head.

"Misses is a guard at Azkaban?"

"Tets." Orion said, staring down at his house elf. "Misses is a Deatheater."

Tets looked stunned for a moment, casting his gaze between Katlin and Orion, who both sat simply smiling back at him. But Tets quickly let his expression dissolve into an equal smile.

"Ohhhhh!" He stated finally. "Master is having a joke with Tets. Misses is not a Deatheater."

Orion took Katlin's arm and, turning it wrist up, slowly pulled the sleeve of the robe she had slipped into earlier up from her arm, revealing the outline of the Dark Mark on her forearm.

Tets looked at the mark as though he had never seen anything quite like it before in his life. He then slowly turned his eyes to the woman sitting before him, still smiling down at him.

"Misses...." Tets stated slowly in a very quiet voice, "...is a Deatheater?"

Katlin nodded at him.

"Tets?" Orion prompted his attention back to him.

Tets looked over at Orion, but never quite let his gaze ever really leave Katlin.

"Go get breakfast, would you?"

The little elf had disappeared before Orion had even finished his sentence.

Orion rolled over on the bed laughing hysterically. Earning himself a hit from a pillow by Katlin.

"That wasn't very nice, Orion." She stated with a slight grimace against the pain in her back. "He was being very kind to me."

Orion slowly pulled himself up. "You don't understand." He gasp. "I have lived for years with that little self-proclaimed Auror accusing everyone that steps in this house...including myself.....of being Deatheater. This is the first time in all those years he's actually met one."

"Oh, and I'm a good representation of a Deatheater at the moment? All the poor thing thought I was was another of his master's.....guests at the breakfast table." She finished carefully.

"Well, he doesn't get that many of those, I assure you." Orion replied. "He was probably nearly ready to kill himself to show you how solicitous he can be."

"Well, he was doing a very good job of it." Katlin answered as Orion seated himself on the bed next to her again. "Is he really going to make us breakfast?"

Orion shook his head as he snuggled up against her, wrapping an arm over her waist. "He's probably hiding in the basement right now with Bo."

"Bo?"

Orion stopped abruptly. He wasn't really eager to explain Bo to anyone. Especially since, for all intents and purposes, Bo was part of the house's security.

"Well," He said slowly, " Bo is sort of....the family's pet boggart."

Katlin shifted under him as she turned to him in surprise.

"You have a pet boggart?!"

Orion nodded against her.

"In the basement?"

"He seems to like it down there."

Katlin tried to pull out from under him. "You have to show me this." She stated, trying to move against the pain in her arms and legs. 

But Orion held fast to her, pulling her back into the bed.

"Later." He mumbled into the covers. "Right now all I'm in the mood for is a good lie-in."

Katlin sighed to herself, but agreeably settle back against the pillows. 

The boggart likely wasn't going anywhere. 

And a lie-in did sound nice.

Katlin woke up an hour later to find herself again, alone in the bed. Stretching out, she rolled over to the side of the bed and, again, nearly jumped a foot into the air.

"Can Tets be getting the Misses anything?" The little house elf asked solicitously.

Katlin laid a hand over her chest as she waited for her heart to slow down a bit. "Tets," she said carefully, "we really need to have a talk about your methods of waking people in the morning."

"Was not waking the Misses." The little elf replied carefully. "Tets was waiting patiently for the Misses to wake up."

Katlin sighed to herself. You just couldn't argue with someone who was dead-set on pleasing you.

"Where's Orion, Tets?" 

"The master is in the den, Misses. Is working."

"Working?"

The little elf looked as though he were suddenly having some very deep internal conflict. "I's is not sure I's should be telling you about that, Misses." Tets replied finally. "The Misses....being....what the Misses is."

"You mean because I'm a Deatheater?"

Tets paused, then nodded almost apologetically.

"Tets," Katlin asked, "does it bother you that I'm a Deatheater?"

"Bother me, Misses?"

"Well, you liked me well enough before you knew I was a Deatheater. What about now?"

Tets seemed to think the question over quiet seriously for a few moments. "The master likes the Misses." Tets replied finally, slowly and carefully it seemed choosing each word. "And.....and the Misses is very nice....very kind to Tets. And Tets...likes the Misses before. And...the Misses makes the master very happy. Tets never remembers the master having a Misses around for quite so long. So the master must like the Misses very much. And a good house elf's job is to make his master happy."

"So you're going to like me because it's your job?" Katlin asked with a touch of disappointment.

Tets looked up at her as he traced a pattern in the rug with his toe. "If that would be all right with the Misses?" He stated quietly.

To Katlin it looked like the poor thing was about to burst into tears. She suddenly realized Tets wasn't so much looking for an explanation as he seemed to be looking for an excuse.

Katlin gave him a warm, understanding smile. "That would be just fine, Tets." She replied.

The little house elf suddenly beamed up at her. "Oh, I's is thanking you very much, Misses!" Tets replied happily. "And Tets, being a good house elf and is doing his job very well, is liking the Misses very much still."

Katlin smiled down at the little creature. "I appreciate that, Tets. Now, what did you want?"

"Tets is wondering if the Misses is ready for her breakfast now?"

"That would be fine, Tets. Thank you."

The little house elf quickly disappeared.

Katlin sat in the bed for several minutes, thinking over what Tets had said to her. His master liked her. She made him happy. And Tets never remembered Orion having anyone else around for quite so long.

Katlin sighed as she laid back in the bed.

He had said he was in love with her. He had admitted it freely. And he had never done one thing to make her think otherwise. 

He seemed so bloody sure of it. How could he be? How can you know your in love with someone so quickly? How do you know it at all?

Katlin closed her eyes. The problem wasn't Orion. He had his answers and he was happy with them. He was in love. 

The problem was her's. She wasn't sure. She wasn't even close to being sure. And there were so many reasons not to be in love with him. So many very good reasons. But weren't his reasons all the same? And Orion had gotten past them. Maybe she should ask him how he had done that.

No. That would only show him for certain how unsure of their relationship she was.

Relationship.

Katlin smiled slightly. Now there was progress, she thought. Even just to herself, she was now calling it what it was. Her eyes suddenly snapped open at the thought. Then maybe it wasn't just 'fun and games' to her anymore. Maybe there was something more to it now. Maybe she was.........no. She had better control than that. She knew her own mind well enough. If she was in love she would know it. Plain and simple.

Katlin closed her eyes again. She couldn't be in love. 

Not with him. 

Not with an Auror. 

Not now.

She sighed with relief as the smell of beacon suddenly assaulted her senses. Tets was back with breakfast. And that was something much easier to think about.

****

Q&A 

Werepup: I suppose my version of Voldemort is a bit toned down. But I find it hard to write an interesting psychopath. And I really don't see him that way. He's not insane. He's basically a man who has a belief system that he's taken to extremes. But folks, I'm sorry, but I do not believe that classifies you as insane. And so far in the books, that isn't what I've seen him acting as at all.

More Charly is coming. Why is it my secondary characters seem so much more popular than my primary ones?

The restaurant scene was just for fun. I wondered what a man with that much money could do to try and impress his girlfriend. And that is what that scene evolved out of.

Sailor Sol: Hope you enjoyed the chapter number.

The chapters straighten out for a while after this as that I get back on my regular number system now.

The restaurant scene was, as I said earlier, just for fun. How could a man as rich as Orion is, impress his lover? Spend money and lots of it. Because basically, what else is he doing with it?

I would hesitate to say they are 'working things out'. But they are trying.

Don't let college terrify you, Dear. PAR has been there, done that, has t-shirt. And trust me, they will be the best days of your life. As any new situation, it takes some getting use to. But it isn't really that different from high school, just a lot more fun. Don't look to make radical chances in yourself to try and meet others expectations. The only person you need to impress is yourself. And look for opportunities to do work in the field you are interested in. Because what's going to get you that first job isn't the grades you made, Dear, it's the experience. Especially if you are looking at anything in technology. Take it from someone MUCH older than you.

And just remember; Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be evil. (PAR just loves that one!)

nessie: Kristen, Dear, is sort of like the energizer bunny on speed.

I hope you can adjust for the scanner problem. I would love to see some of your work.

This story is currently running after Family Life in length. It will be somewhere around thirty chapters. Maybe more. Maybe less.

The best picture of the movie I have seen so far was in Newsweek (August 4th edition) where they showed not only the new Dumbledore, but an excellent picture of a scene in the Shrieking Shack showing the back of Peter's head, Sirius, and Lupin. IF you intend to try and see the picture logging into Newsweek.com, I will save you the trouble. The picture is one of the ones they cut. I am surprised, however, that none of the websites appear to be carrying that many pictures from the set. Much less any pictures of Sirius or Lupin.

I agree. I haven't even seen the movie and I am not hopeful. 

And for the fourth movie, I have heard not only have they changed directors (again) but they have opted to film it as one movie and not two. Might as well just cut their throats now and be done with it. I wonder what Rowling has to say to that?

sweets: Package will probably have gotten there by the time you read this. I mailed it Monday, August 18, 2003.

Congratulations on the job. As I said, House of Mouse isn't that bad to work for. And I have heard the perks are good.

Katlin has been playing with fire for a very long time. But technically, Orion was not with her. By the time she approached the other Elite, Orion was already gone.

Actually, the author's note had nothing to do with Katlin at all.

Reviews as of 08192003. 


	20. Chapter Fourteen: Do We Kill Him Now?

A/N: Wow! Another chapter. And it isn't even Christmas!

Well, folks, there's a reason. Mostly I'm buttering you up because the next chapter is insanely short. However, you get bonuses. 

One, this is the chapter everyone has been waiting for. I hope it lives up to your expectations.

Next, chapter sixteen is insanely long and too cute for words.

And lastly, chapter seventeen is something you've probably been expecting and wondered where it was.

So, as always...,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I didn't do it. You can't prove it. The sheep are lying about it.

Summary: For weeks Charly has known his partner was seeing someone. He just never knew who. Tonight the inevitable meeting of Charly and Katlin.

****

Chapter Fourteen: Do We Kill Him Now?

Charly Misser sat on the bench at the muggle bus stop as a pair of pretty girls walked by, slowing down just enough to turn and smile at the two men. He turned to the girls with a friendly smile, but was stopped from going any further by a sharp slap on his arm.

"Hey!" He cried out indignantly as he turned to the man sitting next to him.

"Will you stop propositioning every muggle that walks by with that smile of yours, Charly?" The man stated in irritation. "I swear, I think you tried to pick up the last three men that walked by. Are you honestly that desperate?"

"Look, Black," Charly hissed at him, "just because your happy, doesn't mean the rest of us are. And quite frankly, I'm beginning to doubt this wonderful piece of fluff of yours is anything more than you getting very well acquainted with a blow-up."

"Why?" Orion asked, staring at the alleyway across the street. "Has yours' gone missing?"

"Oh, nice!"

Charly quickly checked his watch. "Look, if something doesn't happen in the next few minutes, the next bus'll be back along and we're gonna have to skip down the alley again. That'll be the third time in the past two hours, Orion, and I think people are gonna start talking soon. Either that or someone will have started to notice that we never get on the ruddy bus. Neither scenario I like much."

Orion muttered some incoherent response and settled back to staring at the pub across the street. He hadn't seen or heard from Katlin since she left his house over a week ago. Charly's mention of his 'piece of fluff' simply drove the separation home to him again and made him miss her that much more. A feeling that came out most clearly in his growing lack of patience at their absent targets. But as he surveyed the area around the pub, his gaze fixed on several people gathering on the sidewalk outside the doors.

"Heads up!" Orion whispered as he clandestinely jabbed his partner in the ribs under his coat. "Looks like company."

Across the street the three figures seemed to simply stand talking for a few moments before going in. But to the two Aurors watching them, the group's surveillance of the area was all too obvious. 

"All right. That was it." Orion said as the group finally entered the pub. "Lets go."

Charly got to his feet and followed Orion across the street. The Department had learned of the possible meeting taking place at the pub between the members of two groups that were forming in the north who, although not officially members of Voldemort's Deatheaters, followed many of the same practices, and were interested in possibly joining forces together. The meeting was to be an initial contact, but little else, and Charly and Orion were sent to observe and get what information they could covertly.

Entering the pub, Orion and Charly found the small group quickly enough and took a booth near the back where they could work unobserved. There was also the possibility that the others had magical detection devices on them, and if the two were too close while working spells to eavesdrop on the conversation, they could easily be discovered.

Orion quickly set up the spell, then did his best to listen in. But the noise in the pub and the crowding of people between them and their targets didn't make for a very good connection, so to speak. As hard as they tried to listen, both men had a hard time making much out of the conversation past a few garbled words.

"This isn't getting us anywhere." Orion said finally as he sat back in exasperation. He got to his feet and started towards the table where the others were sitting. "Let me see what else might be available. Maybe we can just shift the spell and they won't notice."

Charly nodded slightly as Orion took to the floor. If there was a closer table, they might have better luck. Although shifting spells was a risky and unpredictable action, it was better to get five minutes of a conversation before you were found out than none at all.

Orion worked his casual best as he approached the table, trying to look like just another pub patron looking for a seat. But as he got closer to the table, he was nearly knocked backwards when the occupant of a table near his target suddenly got to her feet directly in front of him. With her back to him, she informed her companions she was going to powder her nose and would be back shortly.

When the woman turned to face him, Orion found he had to fight every instinct in him to keep his expression neutral. 

Standing before him, looking for all the world like she was fighting much the same battle, was Katlin Griss. But she quickly forced her expression into a small smile and, stammering a hasty apology, hurried past him without a second look.

Casting a quick glance about to see if the encounter had been noticed by anyone, Orion turned on his heel and re-crossed the pub floor to the doors Katlin had just past through.

Not a soul in the pub would likely have questioned Orion's suddenly following after the woman. Just as no one would have missed how attractive she was or could have blamed Orion for trying his level best to try again to strike up some sort of conversation with her.

Orion quickened his pace as he entered the narrow corridor to the restrooms. But as he past by a small storage room, a hand reached out and dragged him quickly into the small alcove, barely taking the time to snap the small curtain back across the opening.

Orion almost reacted as years of training had taught him. Defend first, question later. But the pair of lips that covered his mouth nearly succeeded in driving any thought at all from his mind as they quickly went to work on his. Two experienced hands quickly focused on his shirt as they expertly worked their way through each button. But Orion grabbed hold of each of them in a firm grip as he pulled back, staring into the lovely violet eyes before him in the dim light of the small bulb overhead.

"What are you doing here, Katlin?" He asked.

"Why are you here?" She replied.

"I asked first."

"You're wasting time, Love."

"All right. I'll ask. You can nod or shake. Fair?"

Katlin considered the offer for a minute, then nodded.

"The meeting?" Orion asked.

Katlin nodded again. "Well, that wraps that up." She said, glancing at her watch. "You here with someone?"

"My partner? You?"

"Two others." 

Orion didn't have to ask other 'what'. 

Katlin was still checking her watch. "By my estimates, I won't be missed for another good five minutes. You?"

"I'm good for five."

Orion immediately found the soft, demanding lips back on his and the hands once again working on his shirt, taking up where they had left off. But this time he was all too willing and eager to help them as he mentally ticked off the seconds. 

Five minutes meant five minutes. And he had few doubts they had certainly done their level best several times to see just how far you could get in how short of time. And with Katlin working every one of her more than ample charms on him, he was more than ready to try and beat the previous record. An effort that included discarding any arguments that might stand in their way and leaving them for another time.

He was at three minutes and forty seconds when the curtain next to them was suddenly snatched back.

Orion and Katlin both turned abruptly to find themselves facing an equally stunned Charly Misser.

Katlin paused before she turned to Orion. "So," she asked causally, "do we kill him now?"

At the words, Charly had his wand out, the majority of it concealed from view as he pointed it at the woman before him.

"Merlin's Beard!" He hissed quietly. "You're Katlin Griss!"

Orion reached out slowly and cautiously eased Charly's wand tip down. "Charly, now just hold on a second......"

Charly looked as though he was coming out of shock. "Orion! That's Katlin Griss!"

"I know who it is, Charly." Orion replied, still keeping his hand over Charly's wand tip. "I rarely get this far with people I haven't been properly introduced to. Could we just put the wand away for a minute?"

Charly made no move to lower his wand. "So," he hazarded a guess, "you're....arresting her?"

"Ohhhhh, that could be fun later." Katlin spoke up quickly, turning to Orion. "We haven't done that one in weeks."

Orion sighed quietly as he turned to his partner. "Charly, you remember that bit of fluff you've started doubting I have tucked away somewhere?"

Charly only managed a slight nod, his eyes never leaving the woman who stood smiling pleasantly before him.

"Charly, I'd like to introduce you to my bit of fluff." He said turning to Katlin and then back to Charly, each in turn, "Fluff, Charly. Charly, Fluff."

"Fluff?" Katlin asked with a smile. "I'm your 'Fluff'?" She grinned broadly at him. "That is so sweet."

"Fluffy as a frickin' French poodle, Love." Orion informed her as he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss.

The act seemed to snap Charly out of his current state.

"Love spell." He stated calmly. "That's what it is. Don't you worry, Orion, my boy. Have you fixed in a minute."

Katlin turned sharply to the man even as he brought his wand back up.

"A what!" She hissed at him.

"Charly...." Orion tried to warn him. But Katlin was already off and running.

"Now you listen to me, little man!" She stated in a heated whisper, punctuating each word with a finger prod to the chest. "I do not need Love Spells or any other cheap, fifth year's bag of tricks to get any man to follow me like a love sick puppy. So you can take your Love Spell and stick it right..........."

"Confundus then."

"What!?"

"Confundus charm. Easy enough to sort out."

Katlin turned sharply to Orion, doing her best to keep her voice low. "There is not one fiber of my being that doesn't want to kill him. Right.....now."

Orion looked like he was caught between a rock and a very hard place.

"I'm aware of that, Love." He replied quietly. "But he is my partner."

"What's your point!?"

"Well, he's good for conversation when things get boring."

Katlin let her breath out in a low hiss as she stared back at Charly, who wasn't quite sure what to do exactly. He knew the situation wasn't good, but, at the moment, no one seemed to be in danger of getting hurt. Well...., at least at the moment.

"So?" Orion asked, turning her face gently back around so that she was now staring again at him.

As soon as her eyes met his, her expression softened into a small smile.

"All right." She said shyly. "I won't kill him this time."

"That's very good of you, Love." He replied, giving her a quick kiss.

"I'm sorry." Charly spoke up suddenly. "What am I missing here?"  
But Katlin was already readjusting her dress. "What time is it?" She asked Orion.

"Four and fifty." Orion answered her as he quickly rebuttoned the front of his shirt. 

"I have to go or things could get messy." She replied, pulling out of the small alcove and trying to brush past Charly. But Misser quickly caught her arm.

"Hold on!"

Katlin reacted immediately to the hold on her arm. Grabbing hold of Charly's wrist in a painfully tight grip, she quickly went for her wand. But Orion seized hold of her wrist before she managed to slip one centimeter of the wooden stick out of her sleeve.

"Katlin." He warned her.

"They'll come looking, Orion." She told him pointedly. "And they can alert the others."

"Who'll come?" Charly asked, gingerly rubbing his wrist as Katlin released her hold on it.

"Deatheaters." Katlin informed him shortly. "More than you're ready to deal with. Now, you can let me go and we'll all have a pleasant evening of it, or," she added as a smile crept across her lips, "you can try and delay me further, in which case only I will."

Orion answered for them as he shoved her off towards the doors. "Go."

Katlin gave Charly one more warning stare before turning a much softer expression to Orion before hurrying out the doors.

Seconds later Charly found himself being dragged out the back doors of the pub into the alleyway. But a few feet down the narrow alley, he pulled Orion to a stop. 

"Hold on." He stated firmly. "What are we doing out here?"

"The situation is too compromised to try and salvage, Charly." Orion replied. "We'll report back to the office, then head home."

But Charly placed himself in front of Orion. Even though his partner towered over his own five foot five frame, Charly was by no means a man to trifle with.

"And WHO compromised it?" He asked sharply. "WHO was snogging with the Deatheater in the closet back there?"

"Charly, you're getting way too excited about this."

"Excited? Orion, you were snogging with a Deatheater. And Katlin Griss no less. An Elite! Merlin's Beard! Couldn't you just have gone after Voldemort himself for that matter!?"

"Well, for one, I don't think either one of us would have enjoyed that nearly as much." Orion answered plainly. "And for another, you don't know the whole story, Charly."

Misser stopped short in front of his partner. "Well, my mission tonight just got called on account of 'snogging in the closet'. Subsequently, I've got time. So, why don't you start talking, and stop when I say, 'Oh, I understand now.'."

Orion sighed quietly and leaned against the wall of the building. 

"Do you remember several months ago we had that fight with Voldemort's Deatheaters?"

"You mean the one where you got......?"

"Injured!" Orion spoke up quickly. "Yes. That one. Well," he pointed out, "Katlin was the one doing the injuring."

Charly stood looking at him for a second. "And this is your idea of revenge?" He asked. "That's twisted even for you, mate."

"Charly, it isn't revenge. All right?"

"No!" Charly stated firmly. "No, it's not all right, Orion. Dammit, man! She's a ELITE DEATHEATER."

"I know what she is, Charly." Orion replied calmly. "I've been seeing her for the past....."

Charly quickly covered his ears. "No!" He stated again. "I do NOT want to hear this. I am NOT hearing this, Orion." He glanced at his partner for a minute, then took his hands down. "Orion, for magic's sake, she is a Deatheater. You are an Auror. What is wrong with that?"

"Very little that we've found."

"Really?"

"Really. Look, Charly, like it or not, I am in love with her."

"Fine. I don't like it."

"You don't have to."

"Orion, this is your CAREER we are talking about here! You're going to throw all those years away for.....for THAT?"

Orion stared back at him.

"Fine." Charly stated in an exasperated tone, fanning his arms out. "You think you're in love? Wonderful. I'm happy for you, Orion. Really. Here's my advice. Shag her , arrest her, and be done with it."

Orion's lips twitched into the smallest trace of a smile.

Charly's face fell as he caught his partner's expression. "Or for the love of...........you're already sleeping with her, aren't you?"

Orion shrugged with a happy sort of smile.

Charly stood for a moment, then threw his arms up in the air as he walked off down the alleyway. "Fine. Throw away your career. See if I care. Bale will consider it the nicest gift anyone's ever given him the day he finds out about this."

Orion caught his arm. "Charly. Wait a minute."

Misser turned back to his partner.

"You're....not going to tell Bale, are you?"

"Now why would I want to make the idiot Bale happy, Orion?"

"Just checking."

"And I still have faith in you that you'll come to your senses on this one. I mean, Orion, that is Katlin Griss! She is Voldemort's top agent. She probably knows more about the Deatheaters activities than he doe..........." But Charly stopped suddenly. A smile quickly formed on his lips. "Oh......oh, you sly old boy. You had me going there!"

"Pardon?" Orion ask with a genuinely confused expression.

"You. You're using her to get information, aren't you? And getting some action on the side to boot? I stand in awe of you, Orion. I really do. A piece like that."

Orion frowned at the statement. "First off, Charly, no, I am not sleeping with her to get information. And for yours, Katlin and I never discuss our respective occupations when we're together. Secondly, kindly don't refer to her like that again. I'm pretty sure I'll take offense."

Charly reassessed the information. "Then....what? What's going on, Orion? What in heaven's name are you doing with a Deatheater?"

"How graphic would you like me to be?"

"As little as possible. Now what's the story, mate?"

"I told you. It's called being in love."

"Lust, Orion." Charley corrected him. "It's called 'being in lust'."

Orion shook his head. "No, I'm fairly sure it's love."

"Fairly sure?"

"All right. Absolutely sure."

"Orion," Charly tried again, "she is a Deatheater."

"I've heard that somewhere."

Charly sighed in exasperation. "She is Voldemort's top agent, mate. Now, maybe you're willing to throw your career away for her, but she's not willing to do the same for you."

"And you and Katlin had this conversation when?"

"Orion, she's a Deatheater!"

"Charly," Orion stated firmly, holding a finger up in front of him, "if you say that one more time...."

"She is not willing to forget all she is, all she has been for years, because suddenly she thinks she's in looooove."

"She has so far."

"Meaning?"

"Katlin and I never discuss business when we're together, Charly. When we're with each other, it's just us. Not the Department and not the Deatheaters. My bed isn't that big."

"What about her's?"

Orion sighed quietly in annoyance. Charly simply wasn't going to see this his way no matter what.

"I don't know what else to say to you, Charly." Orion said finally. "And it's not just Katlin, mind you. You have never liked one woman I've ever dated. I swear I'm going to start to think you're trying to keep me for yourself."

Charly stood in the alleyway watching his partner walk off towards the street, shaking his head. 

"No, mate," Charly said softly, following after him finally, "I'm trying to keep you alive."

Orion stood waiting for him at the front of the alleyway. "Come on. The evening's shot. I'll buy you a drink."

'I don't want to go on about this, Orion."

Orion shook his head. "I swear, not a word."

Charly paused, then shrugged and followed Orion off down the street.

"Did I mention I'm in love with her?"

"Shut up."

****

Q&A

Just a quick note here, folks.

For all of you who might be disappointed that Charly never confronted Orion on lying to him about Katlin, he didn't because Orion never did.

Basically this was a 'Don't ask. Don't tell' situation. Charly never asked Orion directly who he was seeing. Therefore, technically, Orion never lied to Charly about it. 

Did Orion feel guilty about not telling his partner? Yes. Did he lie to him about it? To my knowledge, no.

Semmel: Poor, poor little Semmel. Once again over-looked in the roll basket on the dinner table of life.

And ohhhhh, look what you got yourself! (*). One gold star!

That is for being more observant for most. For getting out your score card and looking at the progression of things. Yes indeed. Treaks told Charly to tell Orin about the meeting and to make sure that Orin gave the job to Orion.

Fortunately for Katlin, things didn't go quite as Treaks planned.

Man, you are good!

Thanks for taking the time to review.

Silverfox: Don't feel bad, Dear. PAR's name doesn't even show up in a search. Have no idea why.

As you can see, talking with Charly not only didn't do any good, but Orion could argue most points about his relationship with Katlin.

Headed for disaster? That remains to be seen.

I am so glad you liked the other chapter. It was very cute. 

Is Bo the dragon? Yup.

Why isn't Tets afraid of him? Well, currently you don't know enough about Bo to understand any answer I could give on that. So all I can give you is a very convoluted 'he's just not'. (Somehow always saying, 'there's a very good reason for that' got old way back with the first three chapters of Family Relations.) 

Werepup: Because I use to do this for a living?

And he was lying. What the hey!

Oh, that's all right. I actually like the little green irritant myself. Liked him enough to bring him back in Family Relations. Poor Harry.

All reviews are as of 08232003. If I missed you. Sorry. Let me know.

And remember...,

Women do come with instructions.

Just ask one. 


	21. Chapter Fifteen: Wolf In The Fold

A/N: Yes, yes, I know it's short. But you were warned.

And I know it ends a bit abruptly. Call it Author's prerogative. I sort of like the ending.

And since the chapter is short, I'll keep things consistent and make the Author's Notes short as well.

As always....,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Oh, yeah! Prove it! Pfffffft!!!!!

Chapter Fifteen: Wolf In The Fold

True to his word, Charly didn't say a word about the whole incident in the pub to anyone, including Bale. But it rapidly became his favorite topic of conversation, lighting into Orion about it whenever the chance presented itself. And if the chance didn't present itself often enough, Charly was more than willing to make time for it. Soon it became apparent to most of the other Aurors in the Department that there was trouble between Orion and his partner as that while he was always careful never to use names, Charly was les selective about the tone of his voice.

But if Charly thought any of his tirades at his partner were having any effect, he would have been sorely disappointed. All Charly's constant attacks against Katlin accomplished was to bring Orion to her defense that much stronger. Another point that was causing considerable tension between the two. Charly was always quick to point out that, as soon as Orion began defending her, that in his opinion, Orion had made his choice between the two of them.

For his part, Orion tried as often as he could to defuse Charly whenever he got started. He tried to point out that there wasn't any 'choice' to be made. Charly was his friend, his co-worker, and his partner. Katlin was what she was in his life and the two were completely separate matters.

But Charly steadfastly refused to see the Orion's point. And so the tension continued to grow between the two unchecked.

And so it was, several days after the meeting at the pub, that Orion apparated into his foyer with a loud sigh. The day had ended with another row with Charly and he wasn't in the mood for much of anything else. But as soon as he settled in, the warning alarms around the house went off. 

But for Orion, the alarms going off were anything but something to be frowned on. He responded to the warning alarms of someone attempting to apparate into the house with his usual happy anticipation. Only one person had the ability to get close enough to set off the alarms. 

As soon as the person apparated into the front foyer, Orion wrapped her tightly in his arms and captured her mouth in a heated, but loving, kiss.

"Hello, Love." He stated with a smile. "How was your day?"

But the smile on his face quickly died away as Katlin pulled back, an anxious expression on her face.

"We need to talk." She stated simply, brushing past him towards the front room.

Orion sighed and followed dutifully after her.

"Problems, Love?" He asked as she turned to face him.

"Orion, you have a spy."

"I have lots of spies, Sweetheart. You'll have to be a bit more specific which one."

"How about the one that's passing information to the Deatheaters."

Orion quickly raised his hand into the air. "Oh, that would be me. No need to worry. I know about that one."

Katlin gave him an irritated look. "Really? Then let me asked you, are you also passing information directly to Voldemort?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I went to Voldemort with the information you gave me the other night. About the raid the Deatheaters planned that the Unspeakables knew about. I had waited a few days to say anything so it didn't look so suspicious who the information had come from."

Orion knew well what information Katlin was alluding to. He had given it to her to help pacify Voldemort and continue to solidify their cover. The attack was one he himself had set up, and reveling it to Katlin caused no more problems than that it insured there would be no meeting between the two groups that night. In Orion's opinion, it was one night everyone would go home not necessarily happy, but alive. 

"So you told Voldemort? So what?"

"Orion, I didn't tell him anything. He already knew."

Orion fell silent.

"He knew about it, Orion." Katlin repeated. "I was given word that same morning that I was planning on telling him to call off the operation."

Orion fell heavily into a chair by the fireplace. "So the source was trusted." 

Katlin walked over to him and slipped down on the chair's arm as she wrapped a long, slim arm about his neck. "Completely."

Orion sighed loudly as he stared at the fireplace.

"This isn't good." Katlin stated.

"That raid was top secret. Katlin. Only a very select group of people even knew about it. All of them Unspeakables. And only people I told" Orion paused as he shifted his eyes up to her. "Did Voldemort tell you who the information came from?"

Katlin paused, then shook her head.

"He's guarding this source." Orion reasoned out quickly.

"Very closely. Even Johnathan claims not to know who the informant is."

Orion sat deep in thought for a few moments, then shook his head. "There are several possibilities. And not one of them I like."

"Which would be?"

"Katlin, only Unspeakables knew about that operation. And only a select group of them. All people....people I would trust with my life."

"I would find some new people."

But Orion appeared not to have heard her as he sat staring intently at the fireplace. "Something is very wrong." He stated almost absentmindedly. "First the informant in Austria......."

"Orion, will you let that go!" Katlin stated in exasperation. "Have you simply NEVER had a mission go wrong? If I were you I would worry a lot more about a spy in my ranks than a dead informant."

Orion turned his eyes to her. "And yet I can't help but think the two are connected."

"Connected? Orion, the two are miles apart."

"No, they're not." Orion stated solemnly, turning his attention back to the fire place.

"How so?"

"Only Unspeakables knew about both."

Katlin took in the news silently. It was true enough that the Deatheaters hadn't known about his meeting with the informant in Austria. If they had she wouldn't have been sent there just as a currier but as an assassin. And now the Deatheaters suddenly seemed aware of a secret ambush planned on them during an operation.......Katlin's mind suddenly turned to something else. Something she had completely missed before.

"Orion," she asked slowly, turning to him, "how did the Unspeakables learn of the raid?"

Orion seemed to shake himself out of his own thoughts. "Hmmm?"

"How did the Unspeakables learn about the raid we were planning?"

"Katlin, that's 'business'."

"Listen to me, Orion." She stated, her voice now as hard as her stare. "Your people learned about a top secret raid planned by the Deatheaters. Voldemort learned about a secret ambush planned by the Unspeakables. Don't you find that a little coincidental?"

Orion narrowed his eyes slightly as he worked the information over in his mind. "But that doesn't make sense." He replied. "If we both have spies, why keep telling each other our secrets? Is someone that interested in keeping the playing field level?"

"It seems more to me that someone is trying their level best to play us against each other."

"But 'why'? What's being gained here?"

Katlin thought for a moment. "A third party." She said softly.

Orion looked up at her. "A what?"

"A third party." She said. "If you have a game where there are three teams, what's the best way to win?"

Orion stared up at her for a moment. "Get two of them to fight."

"And what's the best way to make sure they do the most damage to each other?"

Orion nodded slightly as he followed her train of thought. "Keep the playing field level."

Katlin got up from her perch. "I have to go talk to Voldemort."

****

Q&A

ENEMIES

nessie: I at least honor peoples requests. If you don't wish to be addressed by a number, I won't.

Why smack poor Charly? He was, after all the one being lied to. All in all, I thought he handle things fairly well. I mean, no one died.

Three days without updates? Man, I would love that. My favorites usually don't update for weeks at a time!

sweets: So I did! Where was my mind? 

Actually, I think it was your e-mail that messed me up and got you missed. Because I answered the e-mail, I thought about it as a review and got confused. Nothing new for PAR. She's old, after all.

Anyway, congratulations on getting the job. However, whereas the perks may be nice, I don't think I could deal with the 'kids' part too well. PAR does not like little children. They are annoying.

Well, you got the package, so I know that arrived safely. Glad you liked it. There was actually some serious bidding for those banners. Team members wanted them something fierce. But heck, I shelled out $421.00 for one of the banners hanging in the panel rooms, so pffffft. What's a few dollars more, I say.

I was so sure I answered this review.

Anyway, back to the answers I never gave apparently.

Katlin wasn't hiding Orion at the meeting. By the time she confronted Johnathan, Orion was long gone. That was all part of her doing. She explained to him that she needed to have her wits about her when she confronted the others, and she wouldn't be able to do that if she was worrying about where he was and if anyone detected him. So she made him leave.

As for playing with fire, the girl has an out and out conflagration going at this point. (Ummmm, 'really large fire', for those of you who don't want to dig out your dictionaries.)

As for who I am or am not killing off, you'll just have to wait and see.

Sailor Sol: Actually, quite a few people let me know that that scene did not play out as they expected. Most of my friends felt the scene should have been a lot more confrontations. A lot more 'violent'. That there should have been more yelling and screaming and spell firing. However, I would like to point out they were in a public place, trying to eavesdrop on another meeting. getting upset and screaming and yelling wasn't going to get them anything but a lot of unwanted attention.

Also, poor Charly was in a bit of a state of shock. He knew Orion was seeing someone, but never imagined in his widest dreams his partner would be snogging in a closet with Voldemort's top agent. He was really walking on eggshells the entire time, trying to sort things out as well as protect himself and his partner as he saw needing to be done.

True. Orion has very little to be pissed at Charly about right now. As he sees things, he is the only one betraying their relationship. He has no idea that Charly is working with Treaks at this point.

Yeah. Movies beat classes any day.

Semmel: PC's are sooooo temperamental.

You're very welcome. So glad you like the star.

So sorry, Dear. Wherever did I get the idea you were just 'good'?

'Saucy'? I like that. How bad can it be to be called 'saucy'?

*Sits reading review, shaking head* Man, you are the best at finding this stuff! But look at it this way, Orion was categorically busted at that point, and he saw it as a perfect opportunity to come clean to his partner. Orion had hated from day one of seeing Katlin that he was lying to Charly about it. Opportunity knocked. He answered. And for a change in all of this, it was with the truth.

But now, you don't want to go spreading the truth around too much. Basically, well constructed lies work for everyone else, and Orion and Katlin have their covers down pretty well. But Orion just wanted to come clean to Charly.

Bring into trouble. Get into trouble. Means pretty much the same thing to me. But then, I like things said differently for a change. Breaks up the monotony.

Abysmal English? Dear, at least you can speak a second language. PAR knows some Spanish, Dutch, German, French, and a bit of Chinese. But I am hardly fluent in any of them. Stand up and thumb your nose at arrogant Americans, who think there's only one language on the earth.

Then go get yourself a high paying job as an interpreter. We pay really good since we're to arrogant to learn any other languages.

Silverfox: Thankfully, someone saw this chapter for what it was. It was meant to be very tongue-in-cheek. I knew that everyone was looking for a real blow out scene when Charly finally met Katlin. But as I always say, these stories are written ahead of time. So I knew it wasn't going to be what people were expecting. So glad you liked it just the same.

You will absolutely love this boggart by the end of the story. Bo is without question currently the cutest secondary character I have ever created. He has so much personality.

****

FEVER

Mella deRanged: Thank you.

****

THE BONDS THAT TIE

Acacia Jules: Oh, yes. PAR is well acquainted with Tolkien's well thought out and structured languages. But then, the man was extremely intelligent.

Thank you for a lovely review, Dear. I don't mind people at all reading my stories and not reviewing them. I have Enhanced Statistics, so I know somewhere out there people are reading these things. But it's very nice to hear from someone who tells me they have been a reader for some time and just wanted to let me know. I love those reviews as much as the others.

By the way, folks. I browse Muggle.Net from time to time (Loved the poll where most prople hated Gary Oldman as Sirius Black) and some of the comments there got me thinking one day. In GoF, Sirius told Harry, if you want to know what a man is about, look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.

Now look at how Sirius treated his house elf. Sure, he was a slimy, treacherous little traitor. But might he have been anything else if Sirius didn't kick him all over the house? Really, Sirius, people who live in glass houses......!

All reviews are as of 08312003.

Man! September! Where did the summer go?


	22. Chapter Sixteen: Party

A/N: This is likely one of the longer chapters. Actually, the next several hold their own in length if nothing else. The 'interest' part I leave to you.

If you really want to enjoy this chapter, understand it was written very tongue-in-cheek. Poor Orion and Katlin. I wasn't giving them much of a break. So to give them (and my readers) a breather, I wrote this chapter.

And as always.....,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: My bank account statement is current available for review, after which you may make your own decisions.

****

Chapter Sixteen: Party

****

"Please, Orion!" Katlin pleaded again. "Pllllease!"

But Orion stood fast. "Katlin, once and for all, no!"

Katlin attached herself to his arms which Orion had folded over his chest as he stood staring at her. 

Giving him her most pouting look, she stared up into his eyes. 

"But I never get to go to anything like this. Not just for fun. Pleeease!"

"Katlin...."

"Please, Orion! The man is a legend!"

"Among Aurors, Katlin. Why would a Deatheater want to meet him?"

"Just because he was an Auror doesn't make him any less interesting! Please!"

Orion sighed to himself as he stared down at the beautiful woman hanging on his arm, pouting for all she was worth. It was very hard to say 'no' when she got like this. And she knew very well how to work it.

The pleading had started when Orion had inadvertently mentioned that he had to cancel an evening he had planned with Katlin later in the week due to another engagement he was invited to at the last minute.

The engagement in question was to a dinner party at the home of Lawrence Olivers, one of the most noted and highest ranking Aurors before the war. During the dark years of Voldemort's rise to power he had arranged many of the most strategically successful attacks on the Deatheaters, as well as had a personal hand in the assigning of the new order of the Unspeakables. Generally Orion did his best to avoid such engagements. But after the events of the last few days, he felt it might serve as a good distraction. Something to take his mind off of things and perhaps help him look at the situation a bit differently in the morning if he could just get away from it for one night. 

But for the life of him, Orion couldn't understand Katlin's interest in meeting someone like Lawrence Olivers.

"You're planning on killing him, aren't you?" he asked seriously.

"Nooooo!" Katlin swore. "Orion, please! When else would I get a chance to meet the man? It isn't like he sits down to tea with Deatheaters. The only way I will ever get a chance like this is if I go with you! PLEASE!"

Orion stared down at her. It was just so hard to say 'no' sometimes. 

"You'll be good?" He made her promise.

Katlin was practically jumping up and down at the prospect being handed to her. "I'll be good!" She replied, then cuddled up closer to him. "And afterwards," she whispered, playing one long, thin finger over his chest, "I'll be very good."

"No tricks." Orion stated.

"Not unless you want......"

"At the party." Orion specified this time.

Katlin shook her head.

"Promise!"

Katlin pouted. "You don't trust me!"

"Promise!" Orion repeated firmly.

Katlin huffed at him. "Fine! I promise."

"To?"

Katlin sighed loudly this time. "No tricks, no dark magic, and I won't try once all night to kill the man. Satisfied?"

Orion paused for a bit for effect. But finally he gave her a small smile. "All right. You can go."

Katlin threw herself into his arms with a squeal of delight, showering him with kisses as she bounced on the balls of her feet.

"Oh, thank you!" She cried happily. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!!!!"

"All right." Orion stated as he pulled her back. "But you have to do something about your appearance. He'll know you on sight."

Katlin stepped back. "For you," She said in a soft voice, "whatever you like."

"Something simple. Nothing flashy. Brown hair, I think. And brown eyes."

"Darker skin?"

"Could be a nice change."

Katlin closed her eyes as she concentrated. Her appearance wavered for a moment, then cleared. In her place now stood a tall, thin, statuesque black woman. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun at the back of her head, emphasizing her deep brown, almond shaped eyes. A full set of ruby red lips curved slowly into a smile at Orion's stare.

"All right?" She purred.

Orion gave her a pleased smile as he shook his head. "I doubt Lawrence will be able to keep his eyes off of you if you look like that, Katlin. Could you tone it down a bit?"

Katlin pouted a bit, but obligingly the hair swept up, then came cascading down over her shoulders. She added a few pounds around the waist, and filled out the facial features a little as well.

"Happy?" She stated in a less then pleased tone.

"Not really. But that's not the point. You're practically wallpaper now. No one will give you a second look.

"Yippie." Katlin replied dully.

"You still get to go to the party." Orion reminded her, bringing a smile back to her face as he wrapped his arms about her. "And the one afterwards as well." He added with a playful leer.

"Should make you stick with this one." She stated resentfully, looking over her current appearance.

Orion considered the option. "Well, that could be interesting." He replied. "something to break up the monotony."

Katlin frowned at him. 

"And," She answered, "that comment could get you a lot of lonely nights."

But Orion quickly buried his face in her neck. "I only want one woman in my bed." He told her as he kissed her neck. "And that is you."

Katlin's form shifted and returned to its normal shape as she wrapped her arms about him.

"Saved by squirming." She replied.

The party itself was nothing unusual for Orion. He had been to Lawrence Oliver's house several times for just such occasions. For him it was all really more of a 'command performance' than an 'evening out'. Being among Olivers' top choices for the Department of Mysteries, Orion was expected from time to time to attend the parties and play the part of the dutiful agent. Charly was always invited as well, but on this particular evening had managed an excuse good enough to not have to attend. 

Not that anyone was complaining about Orion's replacement for his partner. Five minutes in the door, Katlin had practically charmed every one of Oliver's guests. But as per Orion's instructions, she quickly pulled back when she felt too much attention was focusing on her and reverted to the pretty ornament on her escort's arm.

For the most part, the evening went much as Orion had hoped it would. Katlin managed a few cordial words with Olivers, but for the rest simply blended into the general conversation.

By the time they were seated for dinner, Orion had managed to relax a slight bit. So far not so much as a single eyebrow had been lifted at woman accompanying him, and no one had died. For him, the evening was so far a success. Although he did privately miss the fact that had Charly come along, there would like have been at least one good wizards duel by now.

Near the end of the meal, Katlin leaned over and whispered something in Orion's ear, then briefly excused herself to the rest of the table as she got up.

Orion was quickly dragged back into conversation by the woman on his left as Katlin left the room. 

Once outside the room, Katlin quickly headed down the hallway she thought she had remembered someone once mentioning led to a guest bathroom. The dress she had on and the size she was currently simply didn't match as well as she had hoped and she felt the need for a slight readjustment. Sighing to herself, she opened a side door in the hallway and stepped into the dark room. For a few seconds she fished about for a light-switch, but not finding it, sighed as she pulled out her wand.

"Lumos." She said.

The tip of her wand lit just enough to cast a dim light about the room.

Katlin's eyes widened in surprise. 

What she had thought would be the guest bathroom instead appeared to be instead a small study. Katlin stood in front of the door for a few moments as her eyes quickly scanned the room. She had promised Orion she would be good, she firmly told herself over and over as she took in every detail in the room. But almost of their own will, her feet slowly moved forward as she stepped further into the room.

'Promised, promised, promised.' She kept repeating diligently to herself as she approached the small desk against one of the walls. Her eyes quickly looked over everything on the desk, taking in any item or writing that might be of interest. But suddenly her gaze fell on a large, paper-sized envelope that was stuffed into one of the hutch's shelves. In and of itself, it wasn't that remarkable. But the envelope, from what she could see of the front of it that hung out of the hutch, had no writing on it, although it obviously had papers in it.

'Well, looking isn't doing anything wrong.' She quickly reasoned out in her mind as she reached for the envelope. 

Opening it, Katlin rapidly pulled out the papers inside. Her eyes widened as she took in the contents of the envelope. Without a seconds thought, Katlin quickly shoved the papers back into the envelope and folded it over several times. Not only would Orion not be angry with her for this, she told herself firmly, he would thank her. Katlin was just turning to leave when the door to the room suddenly opened. On instinct, she dropped the envelope back on the desk behind her and dimmed her wand's light.

"Lumos!" A voice stated firmly.

The room immediately illuminated, leaving Katlin blinking blindly against the light.

Lawrence Olivers stood in the doorway of the study, staring back at her past narrowed eyes.

"Well?" He asked.

"I....was looking for the powder room." Katlin lied as convincingly as she could.

"And you had to get all the way over to the other side of the room before you realized this wasn't it?"

"It was dark!" Katlin defended.

"Young woman, a blind person could have figured out the error faster than you!"

"Well, I'm sorry for the mistake." Katlin replied, heading for the door which Lawrence still stood in front of. "I'll just be......."

But the door snapped closed in front of her.

"What were you looking for?" Lawrence demanded.

Katlin turned to him in a startled manner. 

"I told you." She replied innocently. "The washroom."

"Can we not play games, Miss Griss." Olivers replied. "I have my guests to get back to. Now, again, what were you looking for?"

Katlin paused as she considered the man through narrowed eyes. Olivers was a top ranked Auror. To Katlin there was no surprise that he recognized her even through her disguise. Somewhere during the evening she had done something that had tipped the man off.

"Come on, girl." Olivers stated impatiently. "I haven't got all night."

Katlin gave him a small smile. 

"Souvenirs." She replied in a low purr, pulling her Deatheater persona around her like a black cloak as she casually walked back over to the desk.

"Well, you won't be finding any in here."

"What a shame." Katlin replied. "And I did so hope to be able to take something home to show my friends. To prove I was really here."

"How about a nice curse?"

Katlin frowned at him.

"Now let me see, I can't imagine Orion Black escorting a Deatheater. And there is the disguise itself. So I'm betting he's not aware of this little masquerade you have going on?"

Katlin said nothing as the man walked over to her, looking her up and down.

"Can't say as I would have thought Black to go for this though." He commented, looking her over again. "I had thought he preferred his women a bit more......refined."

"I put a lot of time into my research." Katlin replied evenly. "And for your information, Mr. Black has a variety of 'tastes'."

"Really?"

"Caviar can become boring when one has it to often, Mr. Olivers. Sometimes one likes to reminisce on simpler tastes."

"So what exactly are you doing here, Miss Griss?"

"Would you believe I simply came to meet the great Lawrence Olivers?"

"Not for a minute."

Katlin shrugged with an exaggerated sigh. "Then I guess you have me figured out. I'm here to undermined the Unspeakables. And I figured just the place to do it was in the study of an ancient old Auror like yourself." She answered, putting a considerable amount of sarcasm into the last part.

"Then I'm afraid you've been disappointed." Olivers answered.

"Considerably." Katlin snapped the word at him.

"Well, the question now is what to do with you?"

"I believe my date is likely wondering where I've gone."

"I could just tell him you weren't feeling well and apparated home."

"I believe I'm staying at his place tonight." Katlin replied with a smug little smile.

"Rarely knew a woman who wasn't."

"Well, let's hope he at least changed the sheets."

"I suppose I could do a simple memory charm."

"To forget what!?" Katlin replied indignantly. "Your study?" She took another quick look around her. "Believe me, it wouldn't take any charms."

"So tell me again, Miss Griss, what are you doing in my study?"

Katlin met the man's stare with her own. "I was looking for something." She replied truthfully.

Olivers narrowed his eyes slightly. "And did you find what you were looking for?"

Katlin could practically feel the man trying to read her. 

"No." She replied flatly. She tried to soften her expression. To make it as neutral as she struggled to make her emotions. Fooling this man wouldn't be an easy task.

"Is that the truth?"

"Yes." Katlin replied evenly.

The man continued to stare at her. But finally he dropped his stare.

"I believe it's time for you to rejoin your date, Miss Griss." He said.

But a hand snapped out and blocked her path as Katlin started towards the door. She sighed as she backed up and, turning about, casually walked back over to the desk, finally turning back to the man as she leaned against it. Inadvertently her hands laid over the envelope on the desk.

Trying to mask her surprise, Katlin sighed loudly.

"Yes?" She asked in a bored manner.

"I think it would be best just the same if you were to develop an unfortunate headache, my dear, and excuse yourself home alone."

"Orion would be most disappointed." Katlin replied, laying her hands as flat against the envelope as she could.

"I'm sure he'll get over it. Or do you really want to be here when I explain to him who he was escorting tonight?"

Katlin turned an abrupt stare to him.

"You wouldn't!" She hissed at him.

"I would so hate to see this little scene played out again. Perhaps the next time he's picking out his trollops, he'll be a bit more careful."

Katlin gave the man a heated stare.

"Well, I'm sure I'll get over him as well." She replied coldly.

"My, but isn't love fickle?"

"He served his purpose. And since you'll be making sure I can't repeat the effort, why waste any more?"

"How very pragmatic of you."

"I try to be practical. It saves time."

"Then save yourself some more and take some advice." Olivers told her, following her over to the desk.

"And that would be?"

"This house is surrounded by certain detection spells. They won't allow for anyone to bring anything into this house I don't know about," he added, leaning closer to her, "or to take anything out."

Katlin muttered a quick concealment spell under her breath as she stepped away from the desk. Bringing her hands up, she wrapped her shawl about her as she slid the envelope out of view underneath it.

"Problems, Miss Griss?" Olivers asked.

Katlin turned to him over her shoulder.

"I just said how very cold it seemed in here suddenly." She replied in a steely voice as he opened the door for her.

Back in the main dining room, Orion quickly rose as Katlin seated herself next to him again. He immediately launched into a whispered conversation with her as they both took their seats again. But a few seconds into it, Katlin got to her feet and stepped away from the table, Orion following close behind her.

Olivers looked up from his own seat at the head of the table.

"Is there something wrong, Mr. Black?" He asked.

"It would seem Miss Carton isn't feeling well. I was going to see her home."

"That is a shame." Olivers replied, fixing his stare on Katlin. "And I did so hope you and your charming date would be staying longer."

Katlin grabbed Orion's lapel and pulled him down to her, whispering something in his ear. He replied in the same hushed tone, to which she nodded quickly.

"Well," Orion replied with a small smile, "it would appear you're in luck. Miss Carton says she can see herself home and insists I stay. But I will see her safely off from the anti-apparation barriers if you don't mind."

Olivers nodded from his seat. "Of course. Always the gentleman, Mr. Black."

Orion gave him a small smile and followed Katlin out of the room.

Outside, Orion followed closely behind Katlin as they made their way down the stone walk.

"Will you get home alright?" He asked as she stopped just outside the anti-apparation fields.

Katlin turned back to him. Her face was a cool, impassive, neutral. But her eyes were positively alight with a flame burning behind them.

"I'll be fine." She replied matter-of-factly.

As far as Orion was concerned, she could have answered with the crudest, but equally the most erotic suggestion imaginable and he likely wouldn't have so much as skipped a beat in the conversation. The conversation was secondary at the moment. Something to fill time. It was her body language he was reading at the moment. Something was definitely wrong. Something had upset her, and she wasn't leaving of her own free-will. 

"Will I see you later?"

"Don't drink too much, Love." She answered. "I wouldn't want you passing out before the evening was over and having to stay here overnight. And be careful driving home, you know how terrible you drive at night."

She had blatantly ignored the question. That was the wrong direction. She tried to point him in the right one using her words. Orion turned his full attention back to the conversation between them. It wasn't her he had to worry about. It was himself. Something was going to happen tonight that involved him.

She had warned him about drinking too much. He had to stay sharp. Whatever was going to happen, it was going to be a surprise for him. There was no way to anticipate it. 

She warned him about staying at the house. He was to leave as soon as it wouldn't draw suspicion to him. 

And finally she had warned him about driving home at night. Katlin knew well enough he drove very well, even in the dark. But tonight he was suppose to be watching out for something.

But that wasn't enough. He needed more information to plan an effective strategy.

"Love," he said carefully, studying her face for the slightest change of expression, "if you don't feel well, perhaps I should see you home."

Katlin gave him a small smile. "Really, Orion. I can make it home." She stated a bit firmer. "And I wouldn't want to embarrass myself by trying to stay when I don't feel well. I mean, try as I might, there are some things you just can't mask from some people. Now, even Lawrence noticed something was amiss and was kind enough to offer me a place to lie down. But as I told him, I really do think it's better if I go home. All right?"

Orion froze at her words as he put it all together.

Olivers knew!

Somehow he had found out who she was. He was the attacker. And he was planning to expose her.

Suddenly Orion couldn't get Katlin away from the house fast enough.

"All right, Love." He answered, ushering her quickly past the anti-apparation fields. "Good night."

Orion stood and watched her until he saw her apparate safely away.

She hadn't answered him. So she expected to see him later.

Orion sighed and turned back to the house. If anyone had been listening, the conversation would have appeared boring, if not slightly confusing. But to him it was as well choreographed as a couple's dance routine. And it had given him enough information to plan a suitable defense.

Orion didn't have to wait long for his host to make his move. Shortly after the dinner part of the evening ended, Olivers separated Orion off to a side room a respectable distance from his other guests, stating he had something he wanted to show him that Orion might find interesting.

Once in the room, Lawrence offered Orion a drink as he sat himself on the sofa. One that Orion politely accepted, leaving the drink resting in his hold, balanced on his knee. Whatever was coming, Katlin had warned him he had to be alert for it. And although he had a good idea what all of Lawrence's subterfuge was heading towards, there were no guarantees the old Auror wouldn't throw in a curve somewhere. 

Yes, best to be alert, Orion told himself.

"How long have you been an Auror, Black?" Olivers asked as he poured himself a straight scotch.

Orion felt the question was redundant. Lawrence knew as well as he did how long he had been with the Department. Orion had been one of the first selected for service with the Unspeakables and Olivers had started the branch. But Katlin had warned him not to aggravate the man.

"Fourteen years."

"Fourteen years? You were one of the first then?"

Again, the point seemed ridiculously redundant. But Orion let it go.

"Yes."

"And Miss Carton?"

Orion handed the man a standard cover for Katlin. "She just started with the ministry."

Olivers turned about to face him fully now. "So, tell me." He asked. "What was in that conversation?"

Ah! This was better. Now they were getting somewhere. "In what conversation?" Orion asked, trying to sound a bit dense.

"The one you had with your pretty little date outside my house this evening just before she left."

Orion gave the man a puzzled look. "I'm afraid I don't understand." He replied.

"I'm old, Black." Olivers stated irritatedly. "I'm not senile. What did she tell you?"

Orion sighed quietly to himself. Well, no point in pushing the man. "She told me you were going to tell me something tonight that I wouldn't like. That I was to be careful of you and not to trust what you said." Orion improvised.

"That's all?"

"That's all. Although I fail to see what you could possibly tell me about Ms. Carton that would be so stunning that you felt you first had to get her out of the house, and then tell me only in private."

Olivers looked something close to stunned himself. "You have no idea?"

"I know it involves Ms. Carton."

"And that's all?"

"That's all."

Olivers sighed quite loudly. "Black," he stated past the sigh, "how you got to be an Unspeakable sometimes amazes me."

Orion's eyebrows raised slightly. "Pardon?"

"To have no idea whatsoever who that woman was. You have skills, boy. Do you honestly just choose not to use them? Do you just look at the face and not even try to make out what's behind it?"

Orion gave the man a genuinely annoyed look. "Are you planning on telling me what this is about, or were you just going to stand there and continue to berate my skills?"

"As far as I could see tonight, Black, you have no skills to berate."

"I see. So it's just going to be insulting me, is it?" Orion sat his untouched drink down on the table before him as he got to his feet. "It's been a lovely party, Lawrence. We really must do this again some time."

But Olivers was blocking his path before Orion even saw the man move. He may have been old, but Olivers was still every bit the Auror of his youth.

"Sit down, Black." He told him. "You are going to want to hear this."

"Standing does not effect my hearing." Orion replied curtly.

Olivers took a step back, setting a hard gaze on the man before him. "The woman you brought here tonight, Black, was a Deatheater."

Orion managed a genuine enough sounding brief laugh. "A Deatheater? Seriously, Lawrence, what will you thi...."

"Not just a Deatheater, Orion." Olivers cut him off sharply. "An Elite. Voldemort's top Elite."

Orion did a very good impression of a man looking very stunned. "An Elite?"

Olivers looked too pleased for words. "Katlin Griss."

Orion appeared to recover himself after only a few seconds. "How do I know any of this is true?" He asked in an affronted tone.

Olivers looked around the room. "She's not here?"

"Meaning?"

"Your little date suddenly developed a headache and had to leave."

"So?"

"That was immediately after I caught her in my study going through my papers."

Orion managed to recover himself very well from his look of shock at Olivers disclosure. 

"Her choice to leave wasn't entirely her own, I assure you." Olivers continued. "But I was gentleman enough to give her the chance to leave quietly before I exposed her."

Orion suddenly looked very interested. "Why? I mean, you had Katlin Griss in your house, at a severe disadvantage. Why not call in the ministry? They have, after all, been after her for years."

"For the very reason you stated, Black. I had her at a severe disadvantage." Olivers shook his head. "I respect my opponents more than that. Something that seems lost in the agency these days." He added with a touch of disgust.

"Well, you will have to excuse us, Lawrence." Orion defended sarcastically. "But the Deatheaters have gotten a lot less sportsmen-like over the past few years."

"That's no excuse to sink to their level."

"So far, we haven't."

"Your Department has come awfully close in my opinion."

Orion met the man's stare evenly. "You'll have to excuse me, Lawrence." He stated in a level tone. "But I seem to have developed something of a headache myself. Do make my excuses to your other guests."

Without giving the older man much of a chance to reply, Orion left the room. Within minutes he was pulling the small roadster out onto the road and headed for home.

Several miles from the house Orion pulled the small roadster off to the side of the road. As he pulled to a stop, Katlin slowly got up off the stump she was sitting on and walked over to the passenger side, where she stood for a moment waiting. In those few moments, Orion sat staring ahead of him, but then finally leaned over and opened the door for her. But Katlin noted that his expression remained as hard set as it had been when he stopped the car.

"So," she started casually after they had driven a few miles in silence, "was the rest of the party interesting?"

"Very." Came the short, sharp reply.

Katlin sighed quietly into the night. The whole incident must have been everything she imagined it would be. Olivers probably stripped her cover right down to the floor, enjoying watching how uncomfortable he could make one of the Department's top agents in the process.

"Did Olivers tell you?" She asked when the silence finally began to wear on her nerves again.

"Tell me what?" Orion asked as he kept his stare fixed on the road. "That I was dating an Elite Deatheater or that he caught her rummaging in his private study?"

"Well, that answers that question." She replied softly.

Abruptly Katlin suddenly found herself bumped against the door of the car as Orion swerved off the road again, bringing the roadster to a sudden halt.

"Katlin, you promised me!" Orion snapped at her as he turned for the first time to face her.

Katlin cringed slightly under his anger. But she quickly came back to her own defense. "Yes, I did." She replied, trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible. "No tricks, no dark magic, and no killing anyone. You never asked me to promise not to look around."

"Don't play semantics with me, Katlin!" Orion snapped at her again. "I'm not in the mood. You put me in a very dangerous and embarrassing position tonight. Those people know me. They know me well. And tonight you made a fool out of me in front of them."

"I did?"

"I doubt five seconds after I left that Olivers didn't have this whole affair as the main topic of conversation among the rest of his guests. I had a wonderful time trying to pass this whole thing off as my simply 'being careless'. And I have no doubt that Bale is simply going to be salivating the rest of the weekend waiting for me to come into the office so he can have his go at me."

"That is all Olivers doing. Not mine. He is the one who embarrassed you, Orion. Not me."

Orion glared at her in the darkness.

"All right." Katlin stated, turning back to face the front. "If it helps at all, I'm sorry."

"It doesn't." The short replied snapped back at her.

Katlin paused for a moment as she carefully played her fingers over the envelope still concealed in her wrap. "I'm willing to share." She finally said softly.

Orion's curiosity was immediately seized as he turned halfway to her. "Share what?" He asked slowly.

Katlin carefully pulled the folded envelope out of her wrap.

"You stole something!" Orion nearly yelled as his gaze fell on the envelope.

"Orion, look at it before you start yelling." Katlin stated firmly, pressing the envelope at him.

Orion frowned deeply as he slowly reached out and took the envelope from her. He carefully unfolded it and lit his wand so he had better light to see by than just the dashboard lights.

Katlin sat silently next to him, watching as he read over the first page of the contents.

"If I'm not mistaken," she said, "this packet is meant to represent the information your informant was bringing to you."

Orion turned to her. "Meant to represent?"

"The information should be the same information my informant gave me in Austria. He told me that your informant had basically the same information."

"So these are the papers taken from my informant in Austria?" Orion asked, holding the pack of papers up.

Katlin shook her head. "No. That was what I expected to find while I was sitting there waiting for you. But when I started to read them I found that the information in those papers totally contradicts what I was given."

"So my informant found different information."

"Orion, I was told what your informant had. Our information was suppose to be identical. Not total opposites."

"Your informant lied." 

Katlin shook her head again. "And I've told you before, I've known this man for years. He's never lied to me. He knows better. And besides, what would be the point?"

"What's the point in switching the papers?"

"Someone doesn't want us to have this information, Orion. The papers my informant gave to me turned up missing from the lair a few weeks ago. And I'm willing to bet that a few more moments in Olivers study and I would have found those as well."

"You don't know that."

"I said I was willing to bet on it."

"Why should he have those?"

"Why does he have these?"

Orion sighed as he dropped the papers in his lap and leaned against the door on his side. "This makes no sense. Why would Lawrence Olivers have these?"

"I think a better question is 'how did he get them'."

Orion turned to her. "That's not a question I'm looking forward to the answer to."

Katlin sat in the dim light of the dashboard for some time watching the man next to her think over the new information. 

"I am sorry for what happened tonight." She finally said softly. "I swear I didn't mean for any of it to happen."

Orion raised his head with a loud sigh and rested his chin in his hand as he stared out his side of the car, not answering her.

Katlin watched him for a few moments before testing the waters again.

"Well?" She asked. "Am I forgiven?"

Orion sighed again, turning back to the papers in his hand as he shook his head. "For what?" He asked. "For seeing an opportunity and taking it?" Orion turned to face her. "Katlin, I can't honestly say that were the roles reversed I would have done any different. We are what we are."

"Not when it hurts you." Katlin replied. "Orion, I honestly didn't go into that room to take anything. I only went in there to look. But when I saw the envelope.....I'll admit, my curiosity got the better of me. Had it been the year's schedule to Auror activities, I would have left it. But not this. This was something I thought you should see. Something I thought you had to see."

Orion sighed as he looked at the papers again. "And in a way I wish you would have left it behind."

"And that's the very reason I took it. Orion, I know you trust me. But how could I have ever asked you to believe this without some sort of proof?"

Orion shook his head as he handed the papers back to her. "Let's just go home." He said, shifting the car back into gear.

"Orion?" Katlin asked over the sound of the car's engine.

"Hmm?"

Katlin paused for a moment, sure Orion wasn't going to want to hear what she had to say. "You remember...the other night, what I said about a third party? Someone playing the two groups off each other?"

Orion turned to her, but said nothing.

Katlin took a slow deep breath. "Orion, what if the third party is Olivers?"

Orion continued to stare at her for a few seconds, then sifted the car into gear as he pulled out onto the road, never answering her.

Katlin settled back into her seat, the papers resting in her lap. She knew how Orion felt. It was the same feelings she would be wrestling with if the papers in her lap had been found in the possession of Voldemort. If one of the people she daily trusted her life to, she suddenly felt she no longer could. Olivers was the head of Orion's department. He was the very man who had founded it. He would have known about the mission he had been sent on. He would have known what had happened. And yet in this same man's study she had found papers that were at the root of the whole situation. And he had said nothing to anyone.

Katlin sighed quietly to herself. She knew that the only thing they could do now was wait and see what happened next.

****

Q&A

Sailor Sol: Hmmmm. Hasn't been above 70 you say? How does one respond to that? 

Oh! I know!

Pfffffffffffffffffffffffttttttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll tell you what. Just as soon as I figure out how to bottle our 90+ for the past three months weather here in Florida, I'll ship it your way.

Trust me, Dear, the scene you are waiting for does exist. You just have a while to go before you get to it. And when it comes, all heck does indeed break lose.

Actually, without proof, Orion has no intention of going to Bale. Things are also getting convoluted tot he point Orion isn't sure who to trust. He knows someone in his department is a spy, he just doesn't know who.

Werepup: I did say the story was a bit complicated and score cards would be required. Have you met the spy? Oh, yes. And if you get that score card out, this isn't really too hard to figure out. You just need to do a bit of back tracking over the past few chapters. Or, skip all of that and just read forward.

Silverfox: Actually, Voldemort already thinks Orion has turned informant on his own people. But that was the story Katlin gave him to keep her relationship with Orion a secret. As far as Voldemort is concerned, one informant is good, two is better.

With Orion the situation is a bit different, but he will one day have to feed the same story to his superiors to be able to keep seeing Katlin.

How the third party is getting their information I thought was blatantly obvious. But apparently not. I guess this is one of those 'I wrote it, so I see things a bit clearer than my readers' deals. So, you have two choices. You can go back and re-read things from chapter thirteen on, or just keep reading forward and things will clear up eventually. I think.

nessie: Yes, writing keeps me entertained and sane.

Keep in mind that Charly may be being lied to, but he is also not exactly forthcoming with his 'relationship' either.

I don't know if fanfiction emails accept pictures, but I know mine hasn't really worked well from day one. My biggest problem is accessing it. for all I know, I have tons of emails. I just have no idea how to get to the thing. Probably something blatantly simple though.

Yeah, you have a point about the house elf thing.

sweets: Actually, several items went fairly high. the Lupin banner went for about $150 or so. The quilt in the art room went for quite a bit as well. $200-300 I think. But the highest bid overall was mine. Go me! And for the four figure sum I dumped on those people at their convention, you would think I could get a little better service from their website. But I am on week three or four now of trying to get the next two chapters of my story up.

Keep in mind Katlin has a very powerful weapon against Voldemort. Voldemort thinks of Katlin as his daughter. One he loves very much. And that is something she can use to her advantage when things get tense. 

However, the situation works both ways. Katlin is very devoted to Voldemort. There is little he would ask of her that she would not do for him. A largerly, that is where the plot of this story lies. Where do you draw the line between one family and the next?

I'll bet those uniforms are hot.

Reviews are as of 09072003. If I missed you, well......, life isn't fair, folks.

And just remember,

I'm not antisocial. I'm just not real friendly.

(Sweet's can attest to that one.) 


	23. Chapter 16A: Revenge

A/N: First off, I apologize for this being late. Poor PAR got a nasty case of food poisoning and was out of touch for a few days. 

Next, you were warned about getting attached to characters, folks. So don't come crying to me about this chapter, O.K..

And again I would like to thank all of you who are reading this story. even if you don't review, I still appreciate you giving this story a try. I hope you are enjoying it and it is living up to your expectations.

And as always.....,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Look. If you don't know by now, you just haven't been paying any attention at all.

****

Chapter Sixteen A: Revenge

Orion rolled back over to his side of the bed, sighing quietly as he stared at the back of his lover. 

Since the party at Olivers, things had settled back to normal between them fairly quickly. 

Except for tonight. 

Katlin had hardly said a word all evening. Even in bed, she barely looked at him. Now she lay on her side of the bed, facing away from him and, Orion felt, further away from him emotionally than even the space between them on the bed.

Slowly he scooted over to her side and gently wrapped an arm about her waist. Even as he nudged up closer against her, he could feel every muscle under his touch tensing.

"What's wrong?" He asked her softly as he laid his head over her shoulder.

"Nothing." Came the quiet reply.

Orion shifted up closer to her, wrapping his arm further about her body. "Katlin, I was practically having sex with myself tonight. Now, that isn't like you at all. You usually enjoy our being together. Tonight, you hardly even seemed like you were here. Now, again, what's wrong?"

Katlin shifted slightly out of his hold. "We're done, Orion. Go to sleep."

"Wait a minute." Orion stated. "We're done? Go to sleep?" He rolled Katlin over until she was looking up at him. He had intended to press on until he had an answer to what was bothering her. But the track of silent tears on her cheeks stopped him. His usual neutral expression melted into one of concern as he gently brushed the tears away with his fingertips. "Hey." He said quietly. "Love, what is it? What's wrong?"

"You wouldn't care." She said sullenly, rolling back over away from him.

"Katlin...." Orion pulled back up over her shoulder, placing a light kiss on it, then rested his chin over it. "Love, something's wrong. Whatever it is, upsets you. Therefore, I care. Now please....tell me. Maybe I can help."

Katlin shook her head. Orion could hear her fighting back her tears. "You won't.....and you can't."

"Give me the benefit of the doubt."

Katlin sniffed softly against her hand. "Someone I cared about was killed a few days ago." She said in a barely audible whisper.

Orion wrapped her gently in his arms. "I'm very sorry, Love." He kissed her shoulder again. "Who was it?"

"A friend." Katlin choked out. "One of my closest. Kristen Banks."

Orion tightened his embrace slightly. "I'm sorry, Love."

"Your people killed her." Katlin said abruptly, her voice suddenly very hard and cold.

Orion froze. Not only from the sound of Katlin's voice, but the statement itself.

"Aurors?"

Katlin nodded slightly.

Orion sighed quietly. This was not what he had expected from her. Katlin talked about her own people being killed in fights or ambushes much as he did. It was their job and there were risks. You accepted them. But this time she was taking the death very hard......, and very personal.

"Love," he said, trying to be sympathetic, "our lives have risks......"

"They tortured her to death." Katlin interrupted in a sharp, suddenly hostile tone.

Orion stopped short. "What?" He asked. His voice low and soft.

Katlin paused before repeating herself. "They captured....and then tortured her until she died." She replied in the softest whisper.

"How do you know?"

"Because they sent the body back to us. To the Deatheaters. To our lair. They made sure we....made sure we saw. That we found her. They left her body at the main entrance. Like it was some game to them. Some.....some sick joke."

Orion could feel each cry that she tried to stifle as it shook through her body. But all he could think to do was hold her. Just let her know he was there and that despite what she said...what she thought..., he did care.

"She was just....just an innocent.....playing in a very dangerous game. She thought...it was all so...exciting. I tried to tell her....she was wrong for this. She wasn't like the others. She was too innocent." Katlin shook her head against the pillow, then buried her face in it as she let out a howl of pain. "It shouldn't have been her! She never hurt anyone. She never could. Why her!?"

Orion fought against his own tears as he felt Katlin lose her battle with her pent up emotions and finally dissolve into a flood of tears. He pulled her closer to him, rolling her over until she faced him. She quickly pressed her face into his chest and cried harder still. With gentle caresses he stroked her hair and with quiet whispers he told her that it would be all right. Anything to try and calm her down. But in the end Katlin simply cried herself into exhaustion and fell into an uneasy sleep in his arms.

The next morning Orion was especially reluctant to let Katlin leave, pleading with her again and again to stay at the house for a few days at least. But Katlin only shook her head, as he imagined she would.

"I'll be fine, Orion." She promised, melting into his arms as he wrapped them protectively about her. "Work keeps my mind off of it."

"Are you sure, Love?" Orion pleaded softly. "Wouldn't you rather just stay here for a few days?"

But Katlin shook her head again even as she wiped a stray tear off her cheek. "I really need to go. There's a meeting this morning." Katlin paused as she turned to face him. "There was one thing I didn't tell you last night." She added quietly. "I told you once that I would introduce you to the person who changed my mind about giving you a chance?"

Orion only nodded.

Katlin stood on her toes and softly brushed her lips over his. "That person was Kristen." She whispered against his lips before apparating out of his arms.

The next day Orion didn't see or hear from Katlin. And though he was worried about her, he felt that what she needed the most from him was time and space. She knew he was there, and she would come back when she was ready. 

And besides, he had found something to occupy his spare time well enough. 

With the information Katlin had left him with, Orion had started that very morning after Katlin had left, looking through the agency records for any report of the death. But, much as he expected, he found nothing. If things had gone as Katlin said, those responsible would never have reported it. They would have been required to produce the body or proof of the death and the order for it or circumstances deeming it a lawful act against a Deatheater. From Katlin's description, it was neither.

It had been sport.

Even his own actions against the Deatheaters never bordered on this type of sadism. His rules were simple. They attacked, he defended. He never went looking for one of them solely for the pleasure of killing them. And he never tortured. A quick, clean death. There was no need to waste time with it. That was his job. Plain and simple.

But those responsible for this girl's death were not just 'doing their job'. Not only had they not reported it, from the look of what Orion found, they had done everything to cover the incident up. No one seemed to know anything about a sole, female Deatheater being killed in the last few weeks. So whoever was responsible wasn't talking about it. 

Well, no matter. People talked sooner or later. Especially when they were proud of what they had done. When they had enjoyed it. When they thought they had gotten away with it.

Sooner than he had expected, Orion began hearing the whispered conversations within the agency. Three male Aurors had caught and killed a young female Deatheater, then sent her body back to Voldemort as a 'gift'.

Orion followed the stories like a bloodhound on a trail. Every person who knew even a trace of the story he pressed for the origin. And with slow, persistent steps, he managed to follow the trail all the way back to where it began.

Three Aurors in one of the lower ranking department branches had apparently grabbed the young girl after she had left a supposedly secret meeting. They had, in fact, stumbled across the whole thing by accident and simply decided to have a bit of 'fun'. Orion listened intently as one of the three, thinking him nothing more than an equally enthusiastic audience about the whole matter, told him the story as though he were recanting the most exciting event of his life. How they had captured the girl, then taken her to a deserted area deep in the woods, and done exactly as Katlin had said. 

Orion had left the man thinking he had enjoyed the story immensely. 

In truth, it had sickened him. 

By department rules he should have reported all three to the head of their own department. They likely would have been severely reprimanded. Possibly fired. Perhaps even stood trail for their actions.

But Katlin deserved more than being told the ones who had killed her friend were going to spend a year or so in Azkaban, or more likely in the department jail.

She deserved far more.

Reluctantly Katlin followed Orion into the woods. He had taken her out for a drive, coaxing her along with the promise that the drive would make her feel better. At first she had protested, saying she didn't feel like going anywhere that night. But Orion had been persistent and soon her resistance broke down. Now she was starting to wish she'd held out. The woods were dark and cold, and she simply didn't feel in the mood for any of her lover's games tonight.

"Orion." Katlin finally stated, coming to a sharp halt in their trek. "This is far enough." The longer they had walked, the darker her mood had become until she was at the point she was getting quite a bit angry at the man in front of her.

But Orion turned back to her with a surprising smile in the face of her growing anger. "And you couldn't be more right, Love." He replied.

Katlin's anger turned to puzzlement as Orion stepped to the side, waving her on with a sweeping gesture of his hand. Katlin stared at him for a moment, then followed the direction of the gesture with her eyes.

At first all she could see before her was the same darkness they had just come through. But Orion quickly lit his wand, and the scene that now greeted her had Katlin standing frozen in surprise.

Standing before her were three men. All of them standing so still that she hadn't even noticed them before. With cautious steps Katlin approached them, eventually realizing that all three were held by some type of binding spell, capable of moving nothing but their eyes.

Katlin walked between the three men, staring intently at each in turn to see if anything about them sparked her memory. Orion had to have brought them here for a reason. But she had no idea what her connection to them was. For the life of her, she would swear she didn't know any of them.

Finally she turned a puzzled stare back to Orion. "Who are they?" She asked.

Orion gave her a strange sort of smile as he answered. "No one really. Just three men whose only entertainment seems to come from torturing young girls until they die."

Katlin abruptly turned back to the three. Her puzzled, curious expression vanished behind a mask of frightening hatred.

"You!" She hissed at them. "You are the ones responsible for Kristen's death?" She stormed up to the first one in the line. "You are the bastards.....the cowards who killed her? You......" Words quickly failed her as Katlin struck out at the man before her with pure instinct, her nails leaving tracks of blood across his cheek.

Katlin stood for several moments, as still as the man before her as she quickly recomposed herself. But finally she turned around to face Orion.

"Why did you bring them here?" She asked in a low, dangerous whisper.

"For you." He answered. "So that you, who has the most right, can avenge your friend."

But Katlin shook her head slowly. "No. Not just me. What they did, they did to all of us." She replied, the anger in her voice quickly rising. "They took the life of a Deatheater. That was a crime against all of us. All have the right to claim vengeance."

But Orion caught her arm as she turned back to the three, her wand already out. "Katlin. No." He stated, causing her to abruptly turn back to him. "No." He repeated in a more careful tone. "I didn't do this so that you could turn them over to the Deatheaters."

"They did this to us." Katlin nearly shouted at him.

But Orion held her stare in the face of her anger, keeping his own tone low and level. "What did you tell me about Kristen?" He asked her. "You never thought she was much of a Deatheater. That you never understood why she joined them, or why she stayed. She just didn't seem to fit in. Now," he continued as he watched her think over his words, "is this how you want to remember her? By taking the three responsible for her death back to a group of people it was probably a mistake she was with in the first place, or to take revenge for her death the way it should be? Privately....., by a friend."

Katlin slowly turned her eyes from his. But when she looked back up at him, it was with a softer, more controlled stare.

"This should be done privately." She answered in an equally soft, quiet tone. "By a friend."

Orion slowly released his hold on her arm. "All right then." He said. "You take her revenge for her."

Katlin quickly shook her head again. "No." She said, not looking at him now. "She would never have asked for such a thing. This isn't for her." she added, turning back to the three with a building rage in her eyes. "This is for me."

Katlin stepped up to the first of the three, her wand held tightly in her hand. She spoke a quick spell that removed the binding spell from the neck up. The man instantly tested his new found freedom by moving his neck to one side, then the other. But his focus quickly settled back on Katlin as she slowly lifted her wand and touched it right between the man's eyes. "You." She asked in a voice as cold as the darkness they stood in. "What did you do to her?"

The first of the three gave her a defiant, hate-filled look. "Nothing." He spat back at her.

Almost instantly the man's head snapped back as he let loose with a guttural cry of pain. After a few seconds, it stopped and the man's head fell forward. Katlin grabbed him none to gently under the chin and lifted his head back up so that he was looking directly at her.

"Now," she said in a soft hiss of a voice as she raised her wand and once more touched it to the man's forehead, "again. What did you do to her?"

The man said nothing this time. But if he had thought that silence was the answer to keep the pain away, he was wrong. Again the searing hot pain burned through his body as he let out another, bone chilling scream of pain.

As soon as he stopped, Katlin again grabbed him under the chin and forced him to look at her as the wand once more lay touched to his forehead. "Again." She repeated in the same quiet voice. "What did you do to her?"

The scene repeated itself five more times before the man finally focused his wavering stare on the woman before him.

"I killed her." He spat back in answer to Katlin's question. "She died in my hands. Is that what you wanted to know, Deatheater?"

Katlin gave the man an odd sort of smile as she released her hold on him. "That is exactly what I wanted to know." She replied as she stepped back from him. "You killed my friend. And to make your crime worse, you brought her body back and threw it at my feet. After all that you did to her, you had to add my pain to her's. For that, you have earned the same right." Katlin pointed her wand at the other two men. "You will watch these two die, seeing it through their eyes, and knowing you will be last."

The man laughed at the declaration. "These idiots." He snorted. "Kill them. I couldn't care less."

The third man started to fight against the spell, gaining Katlin's attention. Turning back to the other two, she spoke the same spell that released the binding spell from the neck up.

"You bastard!" The third man shouted as soon as he was released from the spell. "The whole thing was your idea from the start. We didn't even want to kill her. That was your idea."

"Because you simpletons had no stomach for it." He snapped back.

But Katlin wasn't interested in what the three had to say to each other. Instead she turned her attention back to the man before her. "You'll care." She said softly before stepping over to the man who had spoken.

Again Katlin raised her wand and placed it between the man's eyes against his forehead. "What did you do to her?" She asked simply.

The man looked past the wand at the woman before him with absolute terror in his eyes. But apparently he couldn't come up with an answer fast enough. The searing white pain shot through his body as he echoed the first man's screams of pain.

When the din quieted, Katlin placed the wand back to it's former position and repeated the question. "What did you do to her?"

"I....I only hit her....a few times." The man stammered in reply, his eyes never leaving the wand perilously placed between his eyes. "I....I didn't want to do anything to her. It was just....just suppose to be a little fun. She wasn't suppose to die."

The first man gave a snort of laughter, causing Katlin to shift her attention back to him. "You have something to say?" She asked with a tone of disgust.

"Only hit her a few times." The man snorted again. "You put her under the Cruciatus curse more times than I can remember."

Katlin turned back to the man with a smile. "Really?" She asked. But the smile quickly dropped as she pressed the wand tip against the man's forehead. "Crucio!"

The man screamed again. Every part of his body fought against the bindings holding it. If he had been bound by rope it was questionable if the ties would have held as hard as the man jerked about under the bonds of the invisible spell.

To the right, the first man had echoed his scream, and was now engaged in the same bone jarring movements as he struggled likewise under the bindings of the spell. But finally the struggles stopped and both bodies fell limp.

Katlin slowly turned her head to the first man again. "How many times?" She asked in the same cold voice she had used earlier.

The first man didn't answer.

Katlin walked over to him. His eyes followed each step, but quickly shifted as the wand was raised again and placed against his forehead.

"How. Many. Times?" Katlin asked again.

The man quickly shook his head, but remembered what had happened the last time he refused to answer and didn't want her to mistake the gesture as such. "I....I don't know." He answered quickly. "I wasn't counting."

"Was she still alive when he was done with his 'fun'?"

The man nodded.

"Was she coherent?"

The man thought, then shook his head. "He....he kept placing it on her until she stopped screaming." He replied. "The last time....she just sort of......whimpered."

Katlin turned back to the third man, a small smile playing across her lips as she walked back over to him, with not a hint of mirth in it. "She wasn't a very strong person. Not against Unforgivable Curses. But I'm still willing to bet she held out longer than you thought she would."

"He made me." The third man stammered. "I swear it."

Katlin turned in the direction the man indicated with his head, looking over the first man again before turning back to the one before her. "Well then," She said smoothly, "I guess the poor girl had more in her at least than you do if you allowed that sorry excuse of a person to influence you so completely." 

Katlin pointed her wand tip at the man again and soon after the screams began anew.

Nearly a half hour later both men were hanging limply in their binds. The man before her was making some soft, simpering sounds while the first wasn't making any sound at all anymore. Instead his body simply convulsed from time to time. Katlin placed her wand against the man's forehead once more.

"Crucio." She stated firmly.

The man hardly reacted at all. The only sign the spell had acted on him at all was a tremor that passed through his body, convulsing it slightly as he whimpered against the pain. The first again went into convulsions, a soft cry emitted from his lips with a bit of froth.

Katlin gave a slightly unhappy sigh before turning her attention now to the man who stood between the other two. Nothing but terror showed in the man's face as Katlin slowly walked over to him and stood in front of him.

"And you?" She asked in a falsely pleasant tone with a small smile to match. "What did you do to her?"

The man shook his head quickly, a cold fear in his eyes. "Nothing! I swear it in the name of magic! I didn't do anything to her. It was the other two. They were the ones. I didn't so much as touch her."

Katlin continued to stare at the man. But there was a small look of puzzlement in her expression. "You didn't do anything?" She asked.

The man fervently shook his head again. "I swear it."

"You stood there? You just watched?"

The man nodded. "Yes."

"And you swear to that?"

"On anything you'll believe in. I swear it. I didn't do anything."

"So you stood there," Katlin replied, her voice suddenly growing very dark and cold, "and you did nothing."

The man realized his error too late. "I cou.....I couldn't have stopped them." He replied shakily. "I........they'd have killed me!"

"And she was just a Deatheater." Katlin added for him.

The man didn't respond. He simply kept a pleading look focused on Katlin.

"And do you regret what you did?" She asked after a moment.

The man nodded quickly. "Yes. I swear. I would change it if I could. I didn't want her to die. I didn't think they would really do it. Not really kill her."

Katlin sighed softly in the darkness as she turned away from the man. She walked a few feet away from him, thoughtfully tapping her wand to her chin as she seemed to think the situation over. A few minutes past, the only sounds being those from the other two men as they whimpered in their bonds.

"Very well." Katlin said as she raised her wand and pointed it at the first man, speaking a quick spell. The man raised his head and shook it slightly, like a man just waking from sleep. He looked around for a moment before his gaze settled on Katlin. 

A look of hope crossed the other man's face. But only briefly. He watched as Katlin pointed her wand at him, then spoke a quick spell. Instantly a bone chilling feeling filled his senses. One he couldn't explain or find a reason for. But it was there all the same. He felt a desperate need to run. To get as far from where he was as he could. Anything rather than stay where he was. But the bonds surrounding him held tight as he began to fight them. Trying desperately to get free.

As he twitched in the invisible hold, Katlin walked over to him and, grabbing him under the chin, turned his face to her. Already his face was contorting in fear and his eyes darted about looking for some way to escape.

"Then feel what she felt." Katlin whispered to him. "Feel her fear, her panic, her pain. All of it. Right to the moment she died."

Katlin stepped back and watched the man begun to twitch more violently in the bonds, the man next to him echoing his struggles. Shortly the screams started as his body jerked beneath an invisible blow. Soon cuts began to appear and blood started soaking into his cloths until there was hardly a single area that wasn't stained bright red. But shortly the violent motion stopped and the body began to convulse. The screams continuing as pain racked its way through his body. For another half hour he twitched and jerked under the binding until finally his body fell slack, only convulsing slightly as he whimpered. But then it gave one last violent jerk in the bonds and fell limp. 

Katlin pointed her wand at the first man, who also now hung in his bonds, his body shaking slightly as he whimpered in pain. She spoke another brief spell and the man collapsed limply against his bonds.

The other man continued to twitch and moan for a few more minutes, but slowly even those sounds stopped and the body fell slack.

Katlin spoke a quick spell and the bonds holding the man disappeared, allowing the body to fall to the ground. But she simply walked past it as thought it didn't even exist as she turned her attention back to the first man.

Lifting his head, she placed her wand between his eyes and once more revived him.

"I wouldn't suppose you have much of a mind left." She said.

The man managed a weak smile as he stared back at her, the words forced and slurred. "Had your fun, Deatheater?" He barely managed between cut and bleeding lips. "Do what you want. Because in the end, my soul will never be as black as yours."

"No." Katlin replied, pointing her wand to the side. "Because you have no soul at all."

Katlin spoke a brief spell and in the darkness next to her a dark robed figure suddenly appeared. She quickly stepped back from the man as the creature descended on its victim. The man barely had time to let out one last scream as the Dementor's mouth covered his.

Katlin quickly raised her wand and pointed it at the mass of dark robes as it pulled away from the first man, dropping it's hold on his body. A second brief spell and the Dementor disappeared, returning to wherever Katlin had summoned it from.

A slight groan caught Katlin's attention as she turned back to the last man, still hanging loosely in his bonds as his body twitched slightly again. Walking over to him Katlin lifted his head as she searched his eyes for any recognition. But only a blank, unknowing stare met her's. Dropping her hold, she stepped back with a sigh, then pointed her wand at the man.

"Crucio." She stated.

The body pulled up sharply, violently jerked a few times, then fell limp again. But this time it no longer emitted any sound.

The first body mimicked its posture, hanging loosely in its invisible bonds. Katlin raised her wand one last time and released the three bodies, allowing them to crumble to the ground.

Katlin stood for some time just staring at the bodies that now lay on the ground before her. But eventually she raised her wand and, with the word of a spell, a flash of light enveloped the three bodies, then faded, leaving nothing but ashes in its wake.

Katlin barely felt Orion step up behind her and wrap his arms about her body. Suddenly she was keenly aware of how cold the night was and how warm and comforting having him near felt.

"Lets go home." He told her softly.

Katlin didn't answer as she stared at the three piles of ashes. She had seen now what they had done to Kristen. Seen it in the faces of the men she had just taken her revenge on. Heard it in their screams. And somehow she didn't find as much comfort in what she had done as she had hoped to. Katlin finally turned her eyes from the ashes and nodded, allowing Orion to turn her about and lead her back to where he had left the car.

****

Q&A 

Sailor Sol: Yeah, sometimes it just works out that way, and you get to be first.

Perhaps to some Katlin seemed a little OOC, but remember that that chapter was written more for fun than anything else.

sweets: Oh! I thought they dressed you up in one of the character costumes, which I understand can get so hot sometimes some of them have their own little A/C units in them.

I'm now on week three with FictionAlley. I think the delay has a lot to do with the fact that the review of their convention I posted here was added to the end of the chapters I submitted. And I believe they are trying everything they can think of to not post it.

Actually, Orion said it himself. How could he blame her for something he couldn't swear, were the situation reversed, he wouldn't have done himself.

As for how much of a law-abider Orion is? He's dating a Deatheater Elite, lying to his Department, his employer, and his partner, and is currently trading secrets for sex. (Let's face it, folks. No matter how you slice that pie, that's what it comes up to.) I don't think he's getting his name on any plaques this year.

Reviews are as of 09122003.

And remember...,

If corn oil comes from corn, and vegetable oil comes from vegetables, where does baby oil come from? 


	24. Chapter Seventeen: Late For What?

A/N: Without a doubt, folks, my favorite chapter. From title to content, I love this chapter. And I had a great deal of fun writing it.

Again, if you liked Chapter Sixteen, you'll love this one. It is solely for fun. So sit back, read, and, as always....,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: As I sit here before my computer, I am prevailed upon to mention that, although this story is original, as are the majority of the characters in it, the setting is not. This is solely the property of JK 'I missed the day in writers class where they learned to write character emotions' Rowling and her 'We don't care, as long as she keeps raking it in for us' publishers.

Chapter Seventeen: Late For What? 

Orion found himself pacing the front foyer of his home, glancing at his watch every few seconds. The play was starting in just a little over thirty minutes and Katlin was suppose to meet him at the house forty-five minutes before the play started.

But then, it wasn't like he didn't have other things to occupy his mind while he waited.

The three Aurors had been reported missing the next day when they didn't show up at the ministry. Nothing at their homes had been touched. No one had seen them leave work or their homes. 

Investigation had led the Ministry to the spot where the men had died simply because Orion had left enough evidence to allow it. He had wanted the men's fate known. Whispers had gone through the Ministry of what the men had done to the young girl. Knowing their end might discourage others who might get the idea such acts were tolerated.

Eventually the whole thing would be written off to a random Deatheater attack. Which was, in fact, true. And so that matter would take care of itself in the end.

Other events did not prove so easily solved. 

He was doing his best to put the events of the party out of his mind for the night. Not so much what Katlin had done, but what her actions had yielded. For several days he had mulled over the envelope, unsure of how to interpret it. Or perhaps wanting to ignore the obvious. 

No. There had to be an explanation. Something simple. Something he just wasn't seeing. 

Lawrence surely realized the envelope was missing by now, so Orion had done everything he could to put it out of his mind in case Olivers might one day suddenly show up at the Department and question him about it. Orion hadn't even told Charly about it's discovery. Just one more lie he had added to the growing list between them. 

Orion continued to pace. In most relationships, being late usually was attributed to choosing what to wear, loosing track of time, or the car not starting. With him and Katlin, it could be anything from a Deatheater last-minute meeting to all out war. And as that Katlin was not known for being late, especially to a play she had been so excited he had managed to get tickets to, he was starting to get extremely worry as five more minutes past.

Just as he was about to call her, an alarm sounded, signaling someone apparating into the house. Most would have been stopped by the spells he had placed around the estate. Only a select few were able to apparate into the house itself. One being the person he was waiting for.

"Your late." He stated, the statement coming out sounding a bit curter than he intended for it to as she appeared in the foyer.

Katlin was taken aback slightly, her surprise showing briefly on her face before she expertly masked it behind her usual calm exterior. But she still had a slight stammer in her voice as she asked, "Late?"

"The play starts in just under a half hour." Orion replied, noting her confused look. 

"Oh. The play. Of course. I'm sorry." She quickly replied. "I got a little....preoccupied." She looked up at him. "Forgive me?" She asked with a small smile.

Orion immediately melted under that smile. "Of course." He replied in a softer tone as he kissed her lightly. "But we have to hurry or we'll miss the start of the play."

Katlin followed Orion out to the garage and soon they were on their way into town.

Through most of the trip Orion had tried several times to start conversations with Katlin, but she didn't seem to be having any of it that night. Whatever she had been so preoccupied with earlier was apparently still on her mind. So finally he gave up and the trip finished in silence.

Due to several charms Orion had placed on the small roadster, they managed to arrive not only on time, but with a good five minutes to find their seats and get settled. Of course, finding their seats was no problems as that Orion had reserved an entire box just for them, which an usher quickly showed them to. 

Sitting in the corner of the box was a chilling bottle of wine, which Orion quickly opened and poured a glass out of, which he offered to Katlin.

"Oh, no thank you, Love." Katlin replied, shaking her head at the offered glass. "Not tonight."

Orion gave her a concerned stare. "You're sure?" He asked. "It's from that little country winery you said you liked so much."

Katlin gave him an appreciative smile. "You did that for me?" She leaned over and kissed him. "That was sweet, Orion. But really, I just don't feel like anything tonight. All right?"

"Of course, Katlin." Orion lovingly brushed a stray strand of her auburn hair away from her face. "You're sure you're all right?"

Katlin turned suddenly to him. "I'm fine!" She stated abruptly. "Why....why do you ask?"

"Because you just don't seem yourself is all. You were unusually quiet tonight on the drive here. And I've never known you to pass up a good glass of wine."

Katlin shook her head again as she took her seat. "I'm just a little tired, Orion. I haven't been feeling well today. That's all."

"You're sick?" Orion asked with concern as he came over and wrapped his hands over her shoulders. "Would you rather just go home?"

Katlin shook her head again. "No. I've waited to see this play for a long time. Now, please, Orion. Just come and sit down and watch the play."

Orion stepped around the large settee and seated himself next to her, immediately wrapping his arm over her shoulders.

"You're sure?" He asked. "You wouldn't rather go home?"

"I will if you don't shut up!" She hissed at him as the curtains of the stage began to part. "Now hush. The play's starting."

Throughout the rest of the evening Orion didn't hear so much as a word from Katlin. Halfway through the evening though he felt her shift against him and lay her head on his shoulder. Turning to her with a small smile, Orion suddenly noticed that she had settled against him with closed eyes and seemed to be fast asleep. He thought for a brief moment to wake her up, but then shook it off and went back to watching the play, moving as little as possible so as not to disturb her.

When the play ended, Katlin was startled back awake by the audience's thunderous applause. Pulling up, she politely applauded with the rest of the crowd, then got to her feet and retrieved her wrap.

"So, did you enjoy the play?" Orion asked with a small smile.

"It was very nice. I appreciate you getting us the tickets." She answered in an almost formal manner.

"Really? Because my shoulder is practically numb from your leaning against it."  
Katlin looked perplexed. "What?"

"Love, you slept through most of the play. From the looks of you, I'd say from scene three on you were sound asleep."

"Orion!" She stated indignantly. "You should have woken me up! I wanted to see that play."

"But you looked so cute laying there on my shoulder." He replied, kissing her head. "Hardly the fierce Deatheater Elite. You just looked.....cute."

Katlin shook her head. "I'm sorry." She said as they left the box. "I told you I hadn't been feeling well. I guess it just caught up with me."

Orion wrapped an arm about her shoulder and led her down the stairs. "Well, come on. Let's get you home. And you're staying at the house tonight. I want to make sure you're all right."

Katlin smiled as she leaned against his side. "Yes, sir." She replied sleepily.

Back at the estate, Orion no sooner put Katlin to bed than she was sound asleep again. Even when he came to bed himself, she didn't so much as stir. Gently he placed a hand over her forehead. But satisfied she did have a fever, he finally pulled down under the covers and pulled up against her body, sighing contentedly as he wrapped his arm about the soft satin of her nightgown.

Ever since they had started sleeping together in this bed, Orion had suddenly found himself actually starting to resent the Deatheaters in a new way. Every night that she couldn't be next to him due to meetings, complications, or aroused suspicions, he found himself missing her more than he thought possible. The bed seemed impossibly big when she wasn't there with him. And more lonely than he could stand. A hundred times a night he would reach out for her only to grab her pillow instead. And a hundred times he would wish it was her. 

More and more he found himself giving into his other habits as well to get him through the long, lonely hours when she wasn't there. Mostly either wandering the seemingly endless halls of the silent house, or finding a nice comfortable sofa downstairs. And an even more comfortable bottle of scotch.

But for tonight she was there, and Orion smiled happily to himself as he allowed the thought to lull him off into a peaceful sleep. 

Katlin woke up to something that she couldn't quite place, but which she was sure she didn't like. Although that reason too eluded her for the moment. She sniffed the air, then wrinkled up her nose. 

Ah! That was it. 

Food. 

And she wasn't in the mood for food. Whatever virus she was battling, it had put her off of the stuff for several days in a row. And now it was assaulting her senses as though it was determined to make up for all the times in the past week she had turned her nose up at it.

"Ah, good. We're awake finally." Orion stated as he came in the door to the bedroom carrying a large tray. "And just in time." He promptly deposited the tray at the foot of the bed on his side as he sat down near the headboard. "I thought we could......"

"Take it away."

"What?" Orion looked first stunned, then crestfallen.

"Take - it - away." Katlin spelled it out a little clearer for him.

"But Katlin....."

"Orion! Now!" She stated firmly.

"But...."

Katlin didn't bother to hear the rest. She suddenly bolted from the bed, straight into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

Orion sat on the edge of the bed listening to the unpleasantness currently going on in his bathroom.

"Well, maybe its not the best," he stated to himself as he looked over the tray, "but I think that was a bit uncalled for."

Getting up, Orion treaded carefully over to the bathroom door and tapped lightly on it.

"Sweetheart?"  
The answer he got was far from encouraging.

Shaking his head, he went back to the bed to wait.

Several long minutes later Katlin staggered back out of the bathroom and headed back over to the bed where Orion was laying against the headboard, reading the morning paper.

He looked over at her as she laid back down and pulled the covers over her.

"Katlin?" He asked.

Katlin rolled over slowly, only to find a piece of less then crisp bacon waving in her face.

"Feel like some bacon?"

Several minutes and a few dodged spells and punches later, Orion conceded that, for a sick woman, Katlin still had a remarkable amount of stamina.

Picking himself up off the floor amid the remains of his tray arrangement, he cautiously made his way back over to where she lay back under the covers again.

"Better now?" He asked, careful to keep himself out of arms reach.

Katlin moaned from under the covers and pulled them closer around her.

"You want me to call you in sick at the office today, Sweetheart? Tell Voldemort you don't feel up to killing anyone today? Although I have my personal doubts about that one."

Katlin sighed quietly and shook her head. "I have to go." She said in a tired, very ill sounding voice. "There's a meeting today. And I have to be there."

Orion cast a quick spell to clean the covers and carefully settled down on the sheets next to her, wrapping an arm over her's as he hugged her to him. 

"Love," He said softly, "you're sick. Stay here today. I'll have someone around to have a look at you, all right?"

Katlin suddenly roused herself out of his hold and slid to the edge of the bed.

"No!" She stated firmly. But she quickly quieted back down past a distressed look as she wrapped an arm around her waist. "No doctors, please. I hate doctors."

"Katlin, you're obviously ill." Orion replied, now genuinely concerned. "Just let me call a doctor and you have a nice lie in. All right?"

But Katlin was already on her feet. "I'll be fine." She answered, starting to get dressed. "It's just a little bug or something, Orion. Honestly! I'm not a child. I can take care of myself."

"At least let me see you home?"

"No! Now, really, I'll be fine. I promise." She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you later."

"Tonight?"  
"'Later', Orion."

"'Tonight' is later."

Katlin merely gave him a short wave as she hurried out the door.

Nine disappointing days went past before Orion heard from Katlin again. Such long separations weren't really that unusual due to their circumstances. But Orion had hoped she would have at least let him know that she was all right.

When she did finally show up the night of the ninth day, it was to a very exuberant Orion, who grabbed her about the waist and spun her around, proclaiming loudly how happy he was to see her again.

But Katlin looked less than happy with the display and told Orion in no uncertain terms to put her down.

Setting her down carefully, Orion gave her a concerned stare.

"You're not still sick, are you?" He asked worriedly. "It's not anything serious?"

Katlin turned to face him in the hallway. "Orion, we need to talk."

Orion's features shifted to their usual somber expression. It was his best defense when he found himself in a situation such as this one. Unfamiliar and out of his control. And no good ever came to him from a meeting that started with those words.

"All right." He replied. "About what?"

Katlin stood for an unbearably long time just staring at him. But finally she took a deep breath. "Orion, I'm late." She stated bluntly.

Orion stood for a moment digesting the statement. But then he smiled slightly in a mildly confused manner. "Love, I wasn't expecting you tonight. How can you be late?"

Katlin paused, then shook her head. "No. Orion. Listen to what I'm telling you." She stated slowly. "I'm. Late."

"For what?"

Katlin raised her eyebrows in exacerbation at him as she grabbed his arms and set a hard stare on him. "Orion! Listen to me!" She stated a bit louder. "What sort of 'late' does a woman tell a man about?"

Orion thought for a minute. 

All he could contribute his missing it the first time to was his brain purposefully switching off any connection he tried to make to what she was saying. Since when he thought it through carefully, it came in quite clear.

Crystal, as a matter of fact.

For a moment Orion simply stood with his mouth open. But eventually speech returned.

"L...late?" He stammered. "Late as in....late? Like.....pregnant 'late'?"

Katlin sighed, then nodded.

"Y......you're sure?"

"Fairly." She replied in an almost matter-of-fact tone. "Look, it's not really anything for you to worry about. I just thought I'd let you know. I mean, since you were so worried about my being sick the other day. Well, this is the apparent reason. A little touch of morning sickness."  
Orion still stood staring at her. "Pregnant?"

Katlin nodded again, reaching into her purse as she absently rummaged about for something. "Well, I just thought I'd let you know so you wouldn't worry. It should be fairly simple....."

But Katlin never got to finish her statement. Suddenly she found herself grabbed up and again spun about as Orion danced with her in his arms about the foyer.

"Pregnant!" He cried happily. "Pregnant! Pregnant! Pregnant! You're pregnant! I can't believe it!!! Pregnant!"

"Orion!" Katlin nearly screamed. "Down! Now!"

Orion suddenly stopped and carefully set her back on the floor.

"Oh! Right." He stated, gently laying a hand on her abdomen. "Can't be too careful. Don't want you hurt. Or the baby."

Katlin was now the one standing looking confused.

"I don't understand." She said slowly, giving him a wary look. "You.....you're happy about this?"

"Happy?" Orion stated with a wide smile. "Happy? Oh, no, Love. Happy isn't even close. 'Happy' is a sad description for how I feel." He grabbed her again, although this time a good deal more carefully, and keeping her on the ground. He quickly drew her into a passionate kiss, releasing her a long time later as he brushed her hair back. "Oh, no, my Love. I'm not 'happy'. But give me some time and I think I can come down to 'delirious' eventually."

A small smile crept over Katlin's face. "You want to have this baby?" She asked.

"Me personally?" He said with a wide grin. "Hardly. Understand it hurts a lot. But Merlin's Beard! Nothing in this world could make me happier than........" A sudden look of wonder crossed his face. "Oh, by the stars!" He stated slowly. "I'm going to be a father!" Katlin found herself grabbed again and once more lifted off the floor. "A father!" Orion cried out happily. "I'm going to be a father!"

"Orion!" Katlin stated again. "Put me down!"

Again Orion set her down quickly and carefully. "Oh. Right. Forgot." He looked at her with the same happy smile. But it quickly faded when he saw her standing before him with tears in her eyes.

"Sweetheart?" He asked uncertainly. "What is it? What's wrong? I didn't hurt you did.....?"

But Katlin suddenly rushed into his arms in a flood of tears.

Orion wrapped his arms about her shaking body, unsure of what was wrong now.

Hormones. Had to be the hormones. He had heard about this stuff. 

"I thought you'd be angry." She cried into his shoulder. "I thought you'd be furious at me. That you'd hate me. I thought you'd throw me out. Never want to see me again." She hugged him tighter. "I never thought you'd want this baby."

"Want it?" Orion pulled her back, the tears on his cheeks mimicking her own. "Want it?" He repeated. "Love, I've never wanted anything so badly in my life."

Katlin hugged him fiercely. "I love you." She whispered into his ear. "So very, very much."

Orion stopped for a moment, staring at her.

"What?" Katlin asked.

Orion smiled gently at her. 

"It's nothing. It's just.....do you realize that's the first time you've ever said that to me?"

Katlin stared at him, a look of surprise on her face as she slowly realized he was right. She indeed had never told the man standing before her that she loved him.

"Unless...," Orion continued cautiously, "that was just...., you know, some automatic response."

Katlin stared up at him, her smile spreading into a look of utter delight.

"I love you." She repeated plainly, suddenly laughing at him as she wrapped her arms about his neck. "I love you, I love you, I love you!"

****

Q&A

As I said, just for fun.

skahducky: Uh oh. The confusion starts. The bad news is this story doesn't get any easier from here on out. If anything, it gets worse with the twists and turns. But then again, look at the people involved and how could you expect anything else?

However, if it helps you out any, I'll summarize.

You started with an Auror, who ran into a Deatheater, who, after sizing each other up, said 'What the hey!' and became lovers.

In the midst of all this, you have 'significant others'. One partner (Charly), and one Deatheater (Treaks).

Now it gets interesting, folks. Follow carefully.

Treaks and Charly are working behind everyone's back for the wizard in the north. What exactly they are doing for that wizard has only been alluded to on Charly's part. But they do have a mission they are working on together. (And by the way, that mission re-introduces itself in Family Relations, one of the reasons this story had to come up first.)

Charly knows who Orion is seeing.

Treaks does not.

Now, onto the currier murder.

1. Orion was suppose to meet a currier in Austria to pick up a package containing information about the wizard in the north. But said currier bit it before he could make the delivery. Package was stolen.

2. Katlin lets Orion see what was in her package that her currier gave to her. Which she states was the same as what Orion's currier had for him.

3. At Oliver's party, Katlin finds an envelope similar to the one her currier gave her with information in it. the only difference is is that the information in that envelope totally contradicts the information Katlin's currier gave to her. Information which was, coincidently, stolen from the Deatheater's lair a few days before the party.

And that, folks, is where we are at.

Hope it helps.

Part of what this chapter was included for was to show exactly how far Orion was willing to go for Katlin, if not for his own sense of justice. It gets a bit questionable when you consider he just handed three of his own people over to a Deatheater for execution. No matter how good or bad you think the reasons are, that is exactly what he did. Some may feel the act was justified. Others may not.

Trust me, Katlin is all Deatheater Elite. Granted, no, it doesn't show through all the time. But I mean, she didn't exactly get voted into that position, folks. 

Silverfox: Well, I'm glad you found this chapter. But if it helps any, I generally post only on two days. Sundays and Wednesdays. (Barring illnesses and such.)

Actually, it wasn't as much of a risk as you make it out to be. The party was not a party of Aurors. And I can see where it might have come across that way. But most of the people there were not Aurors. And the highest ranking, most skilled one there was Orion. And if it was a party of Aurors, it is very unlikely, risk taking for fun or no, that Orion would have exposed Katlin to that kind of danger. Or the other people at the party for that matter. Katlin tends to get a little testy when she's cornered.

Kristen was so much like you? You mean you're overly sweet, so bubbly people want to kill you after five minutes in a room with you, you have no common sense whatsoever, you can't pick your friends any better than you pick your enemies, and you're just way to cute for your own good?  
Poor child.

I'm sorry, Dear. But you were warned. Don't get attached.

As to whether or not the three were missed was explained in this chapter.

The Department and the Deatheaters already are at war, Dear. Where have we been?

Semmel: Good Heavens!!!!!! You were right. That was long.

Having many family members in Europe, I understand that almost every country in the European commonwealth requires the students to learn English. No idea why, since everyone over there seems to hate us right now. Second choice is usually German or French. But ancient Greek? Latin I can understand. Almost every language int he world has it's roots in Latin. And I guess to an extend Greek also. Oh well.

Why is Olivers associating with the wizard in the north? I didn't say he was. Just because Katlin found the envelope in his house proves nothing yet.

Olivers said why he retired, in an indirect sort of way. The agency was skewing itself from his vision of it too much for his liking.

The third party has one interest. Which, though alluded to, has not been spelled out directly yet.

Now, now. Katlin did promise. True. And she did try. She really did. But its sort of like being on a diet and someone places a box of donuts in front of you first thing in the morning and says, Don't touch! 

It's there. It's calling your name. It's full of sugary goodness. It's....it's......NUTS! It's breakfast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sometimes you just can't help but give into temptation.

And remember, Katlin did say she was going to leave it behind until she saw what it was and decided Orion needed to see it also.

I mean......., you know......'ends'-'means'. One of those things.

Unless it begins with foul language, Dear, I never take a review as a flame. However, there's nothing at all wrong with a 'critique'. Constructive or otherwise, you read my stuff. I have no right to say what you can or can not say about it.

But 'thank you' just the same, for a very lovely critique.

Werepup: Just keep going with that, Dear.

Sailor Sol: Yup. Poor little harmless Kristen. But I did give warning about getting attached to characters in some of my stories.

I thought it was very well deserved. And I especially enjoyed writing the Dementor.

All reviews are as of 09212003.

And remember:

Even if the voices are not real, they have some pretty good ideas.


	25. Chapter Eighteen: Names On The Mailbox

A/N: I have no idea why so many people like this story. I really don't. But with my hits perched at 1,000 for this story, I am awed and amazed and very grateful.

Although you know me as a writer of fanfiction, I do write original work. And this is about as close as I can come under these circumstances. It's always nice to have the ego stroked a little, and to know people still like what you write and are willing to give up some of their time to read it.

So again, thank you all, whether you review or not. I appreciate your time and I will strive to continue to make this an enjoyable story for you.

Oh! And Happy Birthday, Sweets!!!!!! Hope you're having a good one!

Also, as a side note, except for chapter sixteen A (which, by the way, was written totally separate from chapters 16, 17, and 18), I was on a roll when I wrote chapters 16, 17, an 18 and was just having fun. 

So, once again, just for fun, folks. Sit back, kick back, and as always....,

Enjoy. 

Disclaimer: Totally original story. Totally plagiarized setting concept in general. Everything related to the Harry Potter series is the work of JK 'What will I do with myself this weekend? Oh! I know, I'll write a book and make a few million. (Oh, wait. That takes me about three years.) Rowling and her 'We don't care how long she takes. Anticipation just drives up the sales. Nuts to the people waiting on the next book.' Publishers. 

Chapter Eighteen: Names On The Mailbox

Orion had driven along in silence for the past fifteen minutes. An unusually long stretch for him to be so silent.

In the seat next to him of the little roadster, Katlin watched him out of the corner of her eye. They were returning to her apartment after having had dinner at a restaurant in London, and then on to Orion's family estate. But even through dinner Orion had hardly said one full sentence to her that she hadn't either initiated or practically dragged out of him.

Her first thoughts were that something had happened that had made him start to rethink things about their relationship. Or even more so, about the baby. Which, while for the past week was his favorite topic of conversation, he hadn't so much as mentioned once all evening. 

Maybe he had changed his mind about wanting the child. Maybe he had changed his mind about wanting to stay with her. Maybe the idea of a family with her was starting to settle in. 

Maybe, maybe, maybe. 

Finally her curiosity got the better of her.

"Was it something I said?" She asked.

Orion nearly jumped. "What?"

"You've hardly said two words all night, Orion." Katlin observed. "Was it something I said?"

Orion gave a small laugh. "No, Love. It's nothing. Really. Just tired, I guess."

But Katlin could hear the nervousness in the laugh. "Well, something's wrong." She replied, turning back around in her seat. "You're as nervous as a cat tonight."

Orion fell back into his silence, remaining there for another good five minutes.

"Well?" Katlin asked finally again.

"Well what?" 

"Are you going to tell me what's got you so distracted? Because if you're not planning on it, I have at least thirty more minutes of guessing ahead of me and I fully intend to use every last one of them, just so you know."

"Love, there's nothing......."

"And you tell me there's nothing wrong one more time and you can bloody well go home alone tonight, Mr. Black." Katlin snapped at him angrily. "I thought part of this whole 'relationship' thing was that we do not lie to each other."

Orion visibly flinched under her anger. 

"So what's going on?" Katlin asked in a calmer, but nonetheless demanding tone.

Orion sighed as he slowed the roadster down, finally maneuvering it off to the side of the road as another car went driving past them.

Katlin sat with her arms folded over her chest, staring at the man next to her. Whatever it was, it had to be something important if he wasn't even trusting himself to drive while they discussed it. Katlin tried to brace herself for whatever was coming. The truth was, Orion had seemed a bit distracted for several days now, and she had already read nothing less then several hundred things into his mood. Everything from problems at work, to the baby, to his wanting to end their relationship. The latter of which she dreaded even thinking about. She had tried to tell herself that even if he did, that she didn't care. She had tried telling herself she was imagining his emotional distancing from her over the past few days. And maybe she was. Or maybe not. Either way, what she wasn't imagining was his nervousness. And now that she had backed him to the wall about it, she was obligated to hear him out, for good or bad.

"Well?" She asked when he didn't say anything after a few minutes. He was in fact, she noted, not even looking at her.

"This is going to be a lot easier for me if you're not mad at me when I tell you, Katlin."

Oh! That was not a good start.

"I'm not angry." She said in a flat, emotionless tone. "I'm waiting for you to explain to me what's going on."

"You promise?"

"Out with it."

"All right." Orion said, taking a deep breath. "Katlin...." But his voice suddenly faltered and he didn't get much further.

"Louder." Katlin stated when he didn't continue.

Orion cleared his throat and started again. "Ummm, it's just.....that I wanted to ask you something."

"Well, I've gotten you this far. Don't stop now." All she could feel from him at that point was that his nerves were about to snap he was so on edge. 

Merlin's Beard! The thought suddenly struck her! What where men nervous about when they wanted to asked their girlfriends something?

Katlin inadvertently snapped her head about to look at him. Her expression was now a mask of worry. Surely he wasn't going to ask her.....he wasn't going to ask her to marry him!? He couldn't do that to her! He wouldn't!

Orion took another deep breath. "Look," he started again, "it's just.....I want to ask you how you might feel about, maybe living....." But he faltered again and stopped.

"I'm for it." Katlin put in quickly, her own nerves causing her voice to shake slightly.

"No, no." Orion corrected. "I meant to say.....about, maybe.......living somewhere else?"

Katlin practically felt his emotions release like a rush of wind. 

That was what he was so nervous about? He wanted her to move? Well, this certainly didn't rate all that tension, she sighed to herself as she felt her own nerves quickly melt back into a lovely feeling of calm. 

This was, in fact, old territory. Orion had often voiced concern over where she lived. Stating that he didn't think the neighborhood was safe, and that he was more than willing to rent her an apartment in a more upscale area. The fact that she was now pregnant had probably brought the old subject back to the forefront of his worries with a renewed force.

"Orion, we've discussed this before." She reminded him. "Where I live isn't the best place in the world, but it's mine. And I don't owe anyone for it. Now I know you have offered before to get me a better place, and I apprec......."

"No, Love." Orion abruptly cut her off. "You don't understand. I'm not suggesting getting you a better apartment in a nicer part of town."

Katlin suddenly shifted to a confused look. "You're not?"

"No. I was suggesting...." His voice faltered again. He cleared his throat once more, and then went on. "What I meant was, what if you were.......that is, what if you could...., well, really if you would......, you know........maybe.......................live with me."

The last three words were said so quickly Katlin wasn't sure she had heard him right. "Live with you?" She questioned.

Orion stared back up at her, looking very much like a puppy someone had just kicked. 

Katlin had to do everything she could think of not to suddenly start laughing. The great Auror Orion Black, who faced Deatheaters, criminals, hexes, and unforgivable curses, was sitting there absolutely terrified of asking his lover to live with him. 

And sadly, she regretted, she wasn't going to make things any better for him.

"Orion," She said, softening her tone as well as her expression, "I can't move in with you. How exactly were you planning on my explaining my new address to Voldemort? We agreed to keep the relationship a secret. Adding my name to your mailbox hardly qualifies."

"Well, I've thought about that." Orion put in quickly. "And actually, when you think about it, it would make perfect sense."

Katlin gave him a skeptical stare. "Really?"

"Look, you're suppose to be with me to get information for Voldemort, right?"

"Yes." Katlin answered, drawing the answer out a bit as she thought about it.

"And if anyone asks, I'm seeing you for the same reason. And that's supposedly the whole point of our being together as far as anyone is concerned."

Katlin agreed again.

"Well," Orion pointed out with a pleased smile, "as far as Voldemort goes, what's a better way to do your job as well than living with me? You could have free access to the entire house of one of the Department's top agents. Where I go. What I do when I get there. Voldemort should be thrilled with the idea. The cover is perfect, Sweetheart."

Katlin sat staring back at him, her expression anything but enthusiastic.

"What?" Orion asked her.

"I don't know." Katlin answered. "The whole thing just seems a bit........risky to me."

Orion immediately went back to looking like a kicked puppy.

"Maybe you're right." He lamented sadly. "It was just......we're practically living together as it is it seems. I spend nearly every night with you. And still I miss the nights you're not with me due to the meetings or whatever. It was just.....I'm tired of coming home and wondering if you'll be there. If I'll see you that night at all. I like the idea a lot more of coming home and always knowing you'll be there. I like the idea of coming home to you.

And I hate waking up in the morning and you're already gone because you had an early meeting and you had to get home first to change. I want to have that extra hour in the morning together. I want to cuddle up to you the morning and just hold you in my arms. I want to remember how good that feels. I just want....I want every spare moment I can eek out of each day with you. And when I go off to work each day, I want to know that when I came home you'd be there.

And now with the baby on the way, that just makes me want to have this that much more. I want to be there for every part of this time with you. I want to take you shopping for those 'horrible clothes', as you call them. I want to go shopping with you for baby things. To furnish a nursery for him....or her. I want to be there to watch this child grow. To know that it's coming. I want to be there to hear it's heart beating for the first time. Feel the first time it moves. And I absolutely want to be there when it's born. My first child. That would be heaven to me. Not to miss a moment of that. 

And Tets....Tets would absolutely go crazy having you there! He loves you. He would pamper the socks off of you. I'd probably loose his services altogether, he'd spend so much time fussing over you.

And.....and I wouldn't have to spend so much time worrying about you. Even more so now with the baby coming. If both of you are safe. If you were hurt, was someone there to take care of you? Did you have some place safe to go to? To know if you just made it home safe each day. I could just come home and all my worries would be answered just by apparating into the foyer. And nothing....nothing could make me happier in this world....than simply coming home to you each day."

Katlin sighed to herself as she stared at her lap. Orion had never voiced his feelings about their relationship so strongly to her before. Told her the things he thought about each day. His worries and his fears for her. But her's were much the same, and that made keeping her head clear all the harder. It was simply making his arguments all that easier to listen to.

"Orion, I just don't think....."

"No!" Orion stated quickly. "Don't think. Just......just think.......ummmm, O.K., maybe do think. Think about how nice it would be." He scooted over in the seat and wrapped her in his arms as he directed her attention to the stars as they sat in their black velvet nest in the sky. "Think about how nice it would be to have a lie-in once in a while in the morning. Think about how nice it would be to know I'd be coming home soon each night. Think about how nice it would be to have dinner at home each night. About sitting on the sofa afterwards, watching television. Or we could go out. Or go for a stroll around the grounds. Or just sit in front of the fire. Drift off in each others arms. There would never be anymore having to plan things around making sure you had enough time to get home to change to make it in time to a meeting the next morning. It just makes perfect sense. Think about how wonderfully blissful it could be."

Katlin did think about it. And it sounded as wonderful as Orion painted it to be.

"Unless......" Orion suddenly broke into her peaceful, happy thoughts, "unless, of course....., you know...., you'd rather not." All the nervousness was suddenly back in his voice. "I mean, I'm not trying to be overbearing. Or force you into anything. Or tell you how to live your life. I mean, if you don't like the idea....just say so. I just... I thought it would be.....I mean, it could be.....nice. Having you there. Very nice. But if you don't like the idea, just say so and I'll never bring it up again."

Katlin paused for a few moments as she continued staring at the stars above them. "I haven't lived with anyone in a very long time." She said finally, 

"You can have a whole wing to yourself." Orion quickly offered. "Scores of rooms. You could go for days without even seeing me if you wanted."

Katlin gave a small laugh despite herself. "Wouldn't that sort of defeat the whole reason you so eloquently stated you want to do this? So we could be together as much as possible?"

"I don't care." Orion sighed happily. "I'll give in to whatever conditions are needed to get you to say 'yes'. I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy."

Katlin sighed again. It did sound absolutely like heaven. To live with him. To be with him every day. Every night. She never thought she could love anyone as much as she loved the man she was sitting next to right now. He was everything she wanted. Everything she had ever dreamed of. Someone who loved her no matter what. No matter who she was or what she had done, he still loved her. He overlooked the faults and praised her virtues constantly. With a simple look he could make her forget the worst things of her life. 

But still.......living together?

"Orion, I just don't know....."

"You could keep the apartment." He added quickly.

"What?"

"You could keep the apartment. If this doesn't work out, you can simply go back. Everything will be just as it was before."

"That's very 'non' committal."

"No. It has nothing to do with commitment. It's a comfort zone for you. You always have somewhere to go to that you feel comfortable."

"And for you?"

Orion gently placed his fingers under her chin and turned her back to face him. "It makes you happy." He said with a soft smile. "That's all I care about."

And that was all Katlin needed to hear. Suddenly she no longer cared about the lies she would have to tell to make the occurrence seem just a part of her work. Part of the game she was supposedly playing with him. About the change it would be for her, from living alone in a small, one bedroom apartment to living with someone in a home that likely had more rooms than she would ever even use once. To giving up part of her independence to someone else for the first time in a very long time. 

All that mattered was that he honestly cared if she were happy. And he was willing and ready to accept her decision based on that.

Katlin turned to him, a small smile creeping over her lips. She reached her lips up to his and gently kissed him.

"All right then." She whispered against his lips. "Let's go home."

Orion returned her smile as he settled back in his seat. Restarting the car, he put the little roadster into gear and, checking for cars, finally pulled back onto the road and headed for home.

****

Q&A

Silverfox: As I said last week, Dear, save yourself the aggravation of a malfunctioning author alert system. I usually post on two days only. Sundays and Wednesdays. This story goes up on Sundays only currently. Usually after 6PM (my time, which is EST).

And as for the things that go wrong on Fanfiction.net. trust me, they are still miles ahead of FictionAlley, on whom I am still waiting to see my third and fourth chapters posted after a seven week wait.

Vengeance was a possible reaction from the department over the three men's deaths. They were, after all, Aurors. However, 'we kill some of yours, you kill some of ours' has been the long standing relationship between the two groups for some time. So to some degree it has always been vengeance.

A scarier thing is I can almost see myself writing that!

But no, Orion would strive to keep the baby a secret as long as he could. Now mind you, the way nature works, that wouldn't be for long. And soon Orion and Katlin may have to start thinking up what they are going to tell people. Not the least of which is what Katlin may have to tell Voldemort. Naturally he would want to know who the father is.

But there's no doubt, a baby would most definitely complicate things for them. And in ways poor Katlin isn't even aware of yet, since she has no idea what it means to have a child born a Black.

But I get ahead of myself.

Shy, quiet, and tend to be a little depressed? Heavens, now you sound like Lupin.

Actually, depression isn't all that bad. Take it from someone in the biz. (Or I use to be.) It's the people who are happy all the time that worried me. If you're always depressed, or always happy, then you have a problem. Otherwise? Pffffffft! Welcome to the real world.

Sailor Sol: I thought I threw in enough hints before the announcement to show where this was leading.

Some lines are better than others. But even I liked that one.

The comments at the end are sort of my trademark (unless pre-empted). The Disclaimer names are just for fun to see how many different things I can come up with.

nessie: Nessie, nessie, nessie. What to say? Ah! Dear, you think too much for my liking. And you have way too good of a memory.

Yes. Orion has five children, but not until after Family Relations (Possibly. Still working on the time line for that one. So you can't hold me to that.).

He had a kid with Katlin? Can't answer that. Part of the story line.

Katlin gets killed? See above answer.

Orion marries someone else and has kids with her. See the answer above the one above that.

You doubt Katlin is Orion's wife in Family Relations. See the answer above the answer above the answer above.

Miscarriage? I hate 'miscarriage' stories for several reasons. So..., nope.

You're looking for clues or hints about Sirius here? Why? Dear, there's no reason for Sirius to be mentioned here. On this time line, (and just slightly AU), Sirius is just doing his own little Auror thing. 

Keep in mind, this is before Voldemort's downfall. Therefore, no Peter, no murder, no Harry. 

Actually, I would put this having started about a year or two before Harry's birth.

If I promised you Sirius in this, there is a reason. He was at one time. He had a whole chapter of reference just to himself in a very touching little chapter called From The Depths Of My Soul. What happened to it? Guess.

That's right! Edited out. (But likely to be added later.)

Why? Time line conflict. I had to re-edit the story.

So, as for 'knowing they're coming'? Sorry, Dear. If I promised it, bad PAR.

Skahducky: Glad if I cleared up some confusion for you, Dear.

Family Relations? Well, I have a few things that have to come out first. Stories should run in this order:

Enemies (Where you currently are.).

Runaway (A cute little Katlin-Harry story.).

Gentle Persuasion (Ever wonder what makes Arabella such a good Auror?).

Family Relations (What you are waiting for.).

Barring my imagination going into overdrive, that is the order the stories should run.

This should keep you amused right up until The Green Flame Torch comes out. But after Rowling's family elimination bout, who much cares?

And she said there would be more deaths. And WHO has a great big bulls-eye painted right on their back? *Lupin's head suddenly snaps up. Looks around. Goes back to reading Order of the Phoenix.* "Man, this blows."

And explain something to me, folks. Why does everyone seem so keen on pairing Lupin and Tonks? Did I miss something in the book?

Glad you liked the chapter, Dear.

Sweets 25: Birthdays. Pffffft!

Dear, I'm still 25. I haven't, in fact, had a birthday SINCE I was 25. (Had a lot of anniversaries of my 25th birthday though.)

I'm glad to be done with school. Being a professional student is not all it's cracked up to be.

So, another costumed character got attacked?

Why would Orion not be happy about Katlin being pregnant? In Family Relations he has a very good reason for being the way he is with Harry. Harry isn't his. He's just temporary guardian and essentially, bodyguard. It's a job to him. If not an obligation.

I submitted to FictionAlley (again) August 31st. Still nothing. I seriously think Heidi is researching 'Freedom of Speech' legislation right now.

You couldn't be more right. Conventions are not back-patting events. They are for the fans, not the presenters. If you are giving a convention so you can stand up and say 'Look at me!', you will have a bad convention.

FictionAlley's convention could have seriously used the help of a few experienced convention planners.

Reviews are as of 09272003.

I should like for you to remember please Joseph Costanzo, a very dear man and the father of one of my friends, who recently past away. 

Those who knew you will miss you greatly, Joe. May you be at peace.


	26. Chapter Nineteen: What's In Your Cellar...

A/N: You know the old(?) Capital One Credit Card cliche, "What's in your wallet?"? Well, now you know where the title came from. Aren't you proud?

Disclaimer: Original story. Plagiarized setting concept in general.

All related to Harry Potter would be his relatives, n'est-ce pas?

****

Chapter Nineteen: What's In Your Cellar?

Orion sighed heavily as he apparated into the foyer of his home. The day had been entirely too long for his liking and all he was interested in was curling up in a pair of soft, warm arms for the rest of the night.

Dropping his briefcase on the floor near the door, he look around for any sign of the soft, warm arms he planned to spend his evening with, along with the soft, warm body they came with. But the foyer was dismally silent.

"Katlin?" He called out. "I'm home, Love. And all I feel up to is bed. What do you say?"

Orion listened hopefully. But the same silence answered his call. With another sigh he slipped off his coat, resigning himself to the prospect of a lonely evening.

Katlin never told Orion what she had told Voldemort about her change in living arrangements, or if she told him anything at all so far. Every time he approached the subject with her, she was quick to steer him away from it. If he pressed the issue, she would clam up all together. So after a few days he dropped the matter and accepted she would tell him when she was ready. For all he knew, where she lived may actually be known to very few people as that most in the wizarding world were after her either for the reward or on general principle.

Living with someone also wasn't exactly living up to his expectations. While having Katlin in his house on a regular basis was pure heaven to him, having her there on a regular basis would be equally nice.

But instead he was finding he knew even less about her life than he thought. For one, he was rarely sure when he got home if she would be there or not. Usually she did get home before him. But there were days when he found himself heading off to bed alone, only to have her creep in next to him in the early morning hours. Often with a whispered apology and a comfortable cuddle that somehow seemed to make the wait a bit more worth while. 

But on nights like tonight, all he wanted was to have her with him so they could both turn in early and just spend some time alone curled up together in bed. Comforting arms usually worked wonders on an otherwise dismal day.

Thinking again about those soft, warm, comforting arms, Orion called her name again. 

Once more silence answered him.

But before he could even speculate what was delaying Katlin getting home, a sudden, loud scream tore through the house. 

Orion's head snapped up in an instant. The sound seemed to have come from the direction of...

...the cellar. 

A second air renting scream confirmed the location for him. 

"Katlin!?" Orion headed for the door to the cellar. Yanking the door open, he lit his wand as he flew down the stairs. What in the name of magic was she doing down here?

"Katlin?" He called again, hitting the bottom of the stairs as he quickly looked around. But a sudden streak of light cutting in front of him, followed by several others drew his attention to one corner of the room furthest from where he was. He quickly dropped to the floor to avoid three other seemingly random shots that flew past him. Looking up, Orion saw a small group of people converging on the corner. Pressed against it, firing off spells as quickly as she could, was Katlin, looking as frightened as Orion had ever seen her.

Katlin looked up just in time to see Orion behind the mob pressing in on her. "Orion!" She screamed. 

Orion got quickly to his feet and approached the group, who all seemed to have stopped their advance on their intended victim as a single unit.

"Bo!" Orion shouted.

The whole group turned about the face the man approaching them.

Orion was somewhat surprised to see that several of the people present he actually recognized. Almost all of them were Deatheaters.

"Bo!" Orion shouted again at the group. "Bad! Very bad! Very, very bad!"

The group suddenly vanished. But in its place, slowly seeming to absorb each person's fading shape as it vanished, stood a black robed figure.

"Very, very bad!" Orion repeated. "Leave her alone! Now!"

The figure stood for a moment, then suddenly it shimmered slightly and faded, reforming as a man, slightly larger, taller and much older than Orion.

"What do you think you're doing?!" The man yelled back at Orion.

Orion was slightly taken aback at the sudden appearance of the man. But he quickly set his expression as he fixed a hard stare on the man.

"Do you really want to play this game with me, Bo?" He asked.

"Answer me!" The man shouted back at him.

Orion kept his stare fixed on the man before him, but he slowly extended his hand out to Katlin, who sat huddled on the floor in the corner.

"Katlin," he said softly, never taking his eyes of the man before him, "come to me, all right?"

Katlin got to her feet without a word and shakily stepped around the man and over to Orion, falling into his arms in relief. But Orion quickly detached her from him and pushed her towards the stairs.

"Go upstairs." He told her, still never taking his eyes off the man before him.

Katlin gave the man behind her one quick last look, then hurried up the stairs.

As soon as he heard Katlin's footsteps going up the stairs, Orion pulled his wand out and pointed it at the man before him. "You have three seconds to a Ward Spell." He informed him. "One."

"Have you lost your mind, Orion!" The man shouted at him.

"Two."

"Who do you think you're talking to?"

"A boggart who is one second from a Ward Spell. Now, what's it going to be, Bo?"

The man stood in front of him in silence now, as though thinking over the situation.

"Three." Orion stated sharply.

The man suddenly disappeared and just as quickly reappeared once more as a figure in dark robes.

"Now go to your room." Orion stated evenly.

The figure sighed heavily under its robes and sulked off across the floor.

"And sulking doesn't win you any points either." Orion informed him as he went past. "You knew better than to do something like this There was no excuse."

The figure stopped and turned towards him. A pale, thin hand extended from the robes and pointed up the stairs as the figure quickly shook its head emphatically.

"What do you mean you didn't know?" Orion asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

The figure pointed again and shook its head harder.

"Didn't she tell you?"

The figure looked up, shaking its head quickly.

"Did you give her a chance?" Orion asked.

The figure paused, making no further gestures. But suddenly it burst into a flurry of activity, gesturing and moving about the floor.

"All right, all right." Orion stated. "I understand. You're suppose to protect the house. I know that, Bo."

The figure stopped its gesturing and came back to stand in front of Orion. It pointed more sharply to the stairs and shook its head again, then shrugged.

"You didn't know she was allowed here?"

The figure shook its head.

"Didn't I tell you?"

The figure again shook its head.

Orion sighed to himself. "All right. Point for your side." He said. "Katlin is a guest, Bo. She is allowed to be here. And how do we treat guests?"

A small popping noise echoed in the dim cellar, and abruptly a small potted flower appeared on the floor before Orion.

"Much better." He replied.

The plant disappeared with another pop, and the black robed figure reappeared, this time bouncing slightly in front of him.

"All right." He stated. "I'll make introductions one day. But not today. I think you just about scared the knickers off of her. Let me go calm her down."

The figure bounced harder in front of Orion, who now favored it with a small smile before heading up the stairs.

"Show-off." He called back to it as he headed for the foyer.

Upstairs Katlin was a great deal more composed when Orion joined her on one of the benches in the foyer. But she still had looked up quickly when the door had opened to the cellar.

"Are we feeling better?" Orion asked as he seated himself next to her. "The baby is all right?"

Katlin nodded slightly. "The baby is fine. Why didn't you warn me about him?" She said, still a little breathless.

Orion pointed to the warning sign hanging on the door to the cellar. "It says 'Warning', Love. And I did tell you I had a boggart in the basement."

"You didn't tell me that was specifically where you kept your boggart, Orion."

"Where did you think I kept him?"

"You said he was to protect the house. I thought he was just.....around the house. Not kept in the basement."

"He likes it there."

Katlin shuddered slightly. "And....and boggart's...they like to hide in things. Not stand out in the open."

"So why were you even down there?" Orion asked. "I mean, there was a warning sign."

Katlin turned to him. "I heard a noise." She said in a flat, level voice.

"A noise?"

"Behind the door. And I wanted to know what you kept in your basement you felt you needed to warn people away from."

"Well, I can't fault you on this one." Orion replied. "Bo would have done just about anything to get you to go down those stairs once he felt he had a chance."

"Would have done anything to get me to go downstairs?" Katlin gave him a questioning stare. "You mean he set a trap for me? That....that noise, that was a deliberate act?"

Orion shrugged. "Bo felt you presented a potential danger. And he felt you were near enough and curious enough to lure you down the stairs."

"But....but boggarts don't lure people into traps, Orion."

"Mine does." He announced proudly.

"But...."

"Katlin, Bo isn't just your run-of-the-mill, average boggart." Orion explained. "He's really quiet sophisticated."

"He's a boggart!" Katlin stated.

"Well, technically, yes." 

"Technically?"

"I told you, he a bit more sophisticated."

"Well, he looked all boggart to me."

"If it's any help, I think he really does like you." Orion offered.

"Wonderful."

"Bo doesn't usually like people."

"Fine. We'll have him 'round to tea one day and make proper introductions then."

"No point. He'd just come as something frightening."

"Like your father?" She asked, raising a questioning eyebrow, indicating the figure the boggart had transformed into when he faced Orion.

"Anyone in their right mind would be afraid of my father, Love."

Katlin quickly held her hands up. "I'm not disagreeing with you, Orion. I know Talon Black. And you're right. No person in their right mind wouldn't be afraid of the man. But he's your father."

"It's more than that, Katlin." Orion explained. "I told you, Bo is a bit more sophisticated than your average boggart. He doesn't just go for the 'fear factor'. That," he added, pointing to the cellar, "he likely thought was 'funny'."

"Funny?"

Orion shrugged. "It's his idea of a joke. And believe me, the little blighter will laugh for days about it."

Katlin gave him a skeptical stare. "But that can't be much of a joke. I mean, you would know if it was your father or not."

Orion huffed slightly. "Don't bet on it, Love. Those two have actually gotten together and worked it out to make sure that I wasn't."

"Your boggart plans jokes?"

"I told you he was a bit more sophisticated."

"So what's with the warning sign?" Katlin asked, pointing to the sign on the door. "Why not have one that says 'Warning - Boggart'."

Orion shrugged again. "I give people fair warning. I don't feel I have to be specific about it."

Katlin sighed as she let her gaze drift away from the cellar door, wrapping her arms tightly about her body.

"So?" Orion prompted. "You're afraid of your friends?"

He had expected her to deny it, offering some other explanation for Bo's take on her fears. But instead she simply nodded.

"Really?" He questioned in surprise.

"It's more than that." Katlin replied in a soft whisper. "It's people I know.....people I trust, suddenly....attacking me. And I can't fight them...or stop them...or reason with them. They won't listen. They just keep coming."

"Sort of a strange fear."

Katlin shook her head again, turning to the floor. "No. It's not. Not when the fear is something real." Katlin took a deep breath, still staring fixedly at the floor before her. "When I was a little girl," she said quietly, "I lived with my parents in a small, but very peaceful little village. My Mum was a witch, and my Dad was a wizard. Both of them very powerful. But the best part of my life there was that we didn't have too hide what we were. Everyone in the village knew about us."  
"They knew you could do magic?" Orion ask.

Katlin nodded. "It was very common knowledge. My parents used their magic to help the people of the village. My Mum was very good at curing illnesses. And my Dad could turn away bad weather and kept animals from destroying crops. No one in our village was rich. But everyone had all they needed to live comfortably. Something they had come to attribute to my parents. After I was born, the whole village watched as I grew up. And when I first displayed my own magical abilities emerging....it was like a royal holiday in the village. The whole town celebrated 'another witch in the village'." Katlin smiled at the memory as she shook her head slightly. "They were all so proud of me. And my Mum and Dad especially. I started doing magic very young. And I quickly showed my natural ability to follow my Mum's. I was a healer." Katlin quickly held up two fingers. "That was a second holiday to the village. They had worried what would happen when Mum got too old to cure people anymore. Now they didn't have to worry anymore. And I would grow up, have children of my own, and the cycle continued. There would always be witches and wizards in the village. 

But, of course, there were some small problems. I was always trying to prove myself. The village was depending on me to take care of them. Just like they looked to my parents to take care of things when they went wrong. One day, a friend of mine came over. She had a very bad cold, and she was suppose to see Mum that day when she got back from tending another person in the village. Well, I didn't see any reason my friend should have to suffer any longer than necessary. I could do magic. I was a healer."

"Uh oh."

Katlin sighed loudly. "She ended up bright blue. Took Dad three days to set her right. 

And in the end she still had her cold. 

I got lectured from one end of the town square to the other for that."

"I would guess the townspeople weren't too happy either?"

"My friend didn't speak to me for days. But in the end everything straightened itself out. And everyone admitted it was a bit funny. But Dad decided right then and there that it was time for me to start learning to do magic properly. And so my 'official' training started. And in a very short amount of time I was allowed to go with my Mum and work cures on farm animals and pets. But I wasn't allowed to try to cure a person again for a long time."

"Sounds like a pretty idealistic existence."

Katlin smiled happily at the memory. "It was. We were....like the guardians of our village. We were absolutely loved by them. And if strangers came, no one would say so much as a word about us. They were determined to keep us to themselves. If the outside world ever found out, they were sure they would take us away from them. And they were probably right."

"So what happened?"

Katlin sighed again. "One day a man came to our village. He was....I don't know...some sort of traveling preacher or something. The people just regarded him as an amusing sort of oddity. You know. Something out of the ordinary to listen to. But no one paid him much mind. Usually, when strangers came to town, all magic was banned immediately. I was told I wasn't to so much as float a stick in the presence of anyone outside of the village. And I was never to draw my wand out in front of a stranger. But one of the villagers cows was very ill while this man was in town, and I had been called to go see if I could help. I was about 15 at the time, and was allowed at the time to go on my own then to do healings on animals. The cow's owners agreed to keep the cow in the barn, and out of sight, just in case this man was about. Well, as luck would have it, he was walking down the road while I was at the farm. The healing went well enough. But right afterwards, something spooked the cow, and she ran from the barn. I went after her, trying to stop her. As soon as she burst through the barn doors, she started for the open field. But right in her path was the farmer's small daughter. The poor child was to frightened by all the commotion to move. I quickly pointed my wand at the cow and placed an Impedance spell on the animal, which gave the parents enough time to get the child out of harms way. 

Unfortunately this stranger saw me."

"What did he do?"

"At first he just watched. He saw how the farmer and his family reacted to me. To what I had done. Then he just continued down the road. I didn't think much of it at first. The family hadn't even seen him. And I thought, by his reaction, maybe he just past it off to some strange occurrence. Maybe he thought I was calling the cow by name, and that was why it slowed its charge. 

But the next day, the man appeared in the town square. It was a market day, and a lot of people were there buying their supplies for the week. 

It wasn't unusual for him to be there. He was there most market days for a few weeks now. He preached about sin and evil. The usual stuff. 

But that day....that day he came with something new. He started telling the people in the square about evil people in the world. And how these people would disguise themselves as kind, gentle people. Offering to help. Offering to fix things right when they went wrong. He told the villagers that these people were making them soft. Making them depended on the ways of evil. 

On magic."

"But surely the villagers didn't listen to him. Your family was a part of the town. They knew you weren't evil."

"At first they didn't listen to him. Then one day I was in the village square. I had been told by my parents to stay away from there whenever this man was there. But I was curious to hear what he was saying to the villagers. Well, this man saw me as I stood by one of the wooden posts near a small shop. 

He started....pointing at me....and yelling. He said some of the most horrible things to me I have ever heard in my life. 

I got scared....and I ran. I ran back to my mother and father and I told them what happened. I told them the horrible names this man had called me. They were all horrible things....except one. 

He called me a 'witch'. 

Well, I saw nothing wrong with that. It was what I was. It was what all the villager called me. But I couldn't understand why he mixed it in with all those other words." 

Katlin wrapped her arms about herself and hugged herself tighter. "He made it sound like I was something dirty. 

My father went back to the village square that very instant where this man was now standing, still shouting things at the people passing by. I had never seen my father so angry. 

I heard....he and this man got into some sort of argument. That in the end, my father.....pulled out his wand.....and he cursed the man." 

Katlin sat for a long time staring at the floor. "My father had never used his magic against another person as long as I could remember. He was a kind, gentle man. He had never hurt a soul. But this man... goaded him into what he did. And the man fell to the pavement screaming in pain. My father walked over to him, pointed his wand at him, and told him to leave. To never come back to our village.

But the man didn't leave. He practically lived in the village square after that. He preached to the people that came daily to trade there, practically yelling at them that they were fools, reminding them of what they had seen my father do to him, and telling them that someday, if they didn't obey us, we would do the same to them. He started telling them stories of other witches and wizards. One's who enslaved whole villages to do their will. That they fooled the people in these villages, by being kind to them, and then turned on them when they were weak and trusting. 

At first people laughed at him. But the man was persistent. And slowly, a few at a time, people began listening to his stories. Soon people were telling their own stories. Not of how my mother had helped cure a child of a fever, but how she had caused it. Of how my father had caused a fire in a grain shed."

Katlin paused again as a tear rolled slowly down her cheek. Another glistened in her bright violet eyes. 

"Suddenly any ill that befell anyone was my parents fault.

Steadily the atmosphere in the village began to change. My mother began to get scared, and she wanted to leave. To go somewhere else to live. But my father insisted that once this man left, that the villagers would see how foolish they were being, and that things would eventually return to normal. My father, being the kind and gentle soul he was, couldn't even conceive how far these fools would go.

One night, I awoke to someone banging on our door. I remember my mother grabbing me and taking me into the cellar. She showed me where to hide, and told me not to come out until she came and got me. That they would speak to the men at the door, and when they had gone, I was to hurry and pack my things and we would be leaving that very night. 

I hid in the darkness. And I listened to the sounds upstairs. Horrible sounds. I heard my father yelling. I heard my mother scream once. 

Then I heard a lot of voices. Angry voices. They were all over the house upstairs. I listened to them for a long time, and then they moved away. I listened to them fading into the distance. And then......I heard only silence. For a long time I didn't know what to do. I was terrified. Where was my mother? Why hadn't she come for me? 

Just as I started to crawl out of my hiding place, I suddenly smelt something. A thin haze was already filling the cellar and it was getting harder to breathe. Then I heard the fire burning upstairs. 

They had set the house on fire! 

I pulled out my wand and hurried up the stairs. With any luck I thought I could blast open the cellar door and escape. But as soon as the door gave way under my spell, a backlash of fire burst down the stairs and knocked me back. I was sure I was dead. I had never felt so much pain in my life. But I still got to my feet somehow and made it up the stairs and through the fire. 

I had to get out. 

I had to find my parents."

Katlin stopped for a moment and Orion could feel her growing ever more distant from him. A blank, emotionless sort of expression overtook her features as she went on. 

"When I got up the stairs," she continued in a low, inflectionless voice, "I found two bodies laying in the hallway. I could still make out enough of the features to see the faces of my parents. 

I didn't even want to think of how they had died.

All I remember was standing there, staring at their bodies. At the blood. I didn't care if I lived or died anymore. I think I was just waiting for the flames to claim me as well. 

I remember feeling someone grab me suddenly, and drag me backwards. 

I screamed at them. Told them to leave me alone. I screamed for my mother. For my father. 

And then the world around me simply disappeared.

When I woke up I was laying in a large bed. It was soft and warm, but I was far from comfortable. I was in agony. My whole body still felt like it was on fire. My vision was a horrible blur. All I could make out were shadows. I heard a voice telling me to lay still, and that everything would be all right. 

That was the first time I heard Voldemort's voice. 

He told me that I had been in a fire and I was badly burned. But that he had rescued me in time, and he was going to take care of me until I was well. 

I literally had to force my voice up from my lungs, asking him where my parents were. And in a soft, kind voice, one so much like my father's, he told me that my parents did not survive the fire. 

I stared to cry. And he gently brushed my hair back, and whispered that it would be all right. But I didn't see how that could ever be so again.

I think I must have cried for days. I don't remember sleeping, I refused whatever this stranger tried to feed me. I refused to drink....all I wanted to do was die. That was the only cure I saw for my pain. 

One day, Voldemort came to my room. His voice was so kind and gentle......but also so afraid. He told me he understood my pain. That he had lost people in his life too. And that laying down and giving up sometimes seemed like the easiest thing in the world to do. But he told me that when you reached that point, that that was when you had to make a decision. You either stayed where you were and you let the evil beat you....., or you stood up again and you faced it. 

He taught me a new concept that day. One that had been utterly alien to me until then. And he taught me that when the evil didn't destroy you, that you came back stronger for having not given in to it. And you faced it again....but this time stronger.

I told him I didn't know if I could face it again. That the pain was simply too great. The pain that came with the utter betrayal of the people I had thought of my whole life as my friends. That they had turned out to be the very people who destroyed my whole life without thought, or caring, or memory of all my family had done for them over the years.

And Voldemort made me a promise then. He told me if I would try.....if I would work to get better....eat what he brought me, and drink the potions he made for me....that he swore that he would make the pain go away forever."

"And?" Orion asked carefully.

A small smile crept across Katlin's lips. "And he did."

"How? By teaching you to hate those who......."

"When I was better," Katlin suddenly spoke up again, cutting Orion off abruptly, "he took me back to the village."

"Why?"

Katlin turned to him with a strange sort of smile. "To show it to me."

"Show it to you?"

Katlin's voice suddenly took on a harder edge than Orion had ever heard in it before as she turned back to the floor. 

"Nothing was standing any longer." She told him in a very hard, cold voice. But one laced with satisfaction. "Every house, every tree, every shrub, every rock, every blade of grass had been leveled. The earth was scorched black and the air was thick with a smell I will never forget in my life. It was rank, and putrid. I expected to see corpses. But there were none. In fact, there wasn't one living thing that I could see.

I never asked him what he had done to the village...or to the people that lived there. I didn't care. All I knew was that he had kept his promise. He had made the pain go away."

****

Q&A

ENEMIES

Semmel: Still, I just love that name. I have no idea why.

I felt the same way about algebra. I mean, I doubt standing on a corner one day I will be called upon to figure out the degree of the left side of a right triangle when intersected by a trapezoid.

And if I am, you are going to be mighty disappointed, folks.

Very true, Dear. When I went after my master's, the market for my degree was great. When I actually finished, the bottom had fallen out and I couldn't find a job with decent pay.

Congratulations! You are the only person to point that out! Yes, indeed, our boy Orion can be down right cold. Just like Katlin, the man didn't get voted into his position, folks.

Actually, the majority of Chapter Seventeen was built around Katlin trying to explain to Orion what 'I'm late.' means.

I would think between them neither Orion nor Katlin would want to see their child join either group. They would likely do everything they could to see the poor kid just has a normal life.

Silverfox: I was about to give up an FictionAlley, but annoying them is such fun. And they make it so darned easy.

I take it 'skyehawke' is another fiction sight?

Orion isn't hiding Katlin. But one would think they would do everything possible to hide the potential baby from Voldemort.

Actually, I have found the most annoying people on earth to be those in the psych field. The only thing worse are the amateurs. the ones who have been to 'sessions', and now they suddenly have a degree. Man, they are annoying.

You think Voldemort would have problems with this? What about Orion's boss? His top agent is now not only sleeping with, but living with, the enemy. This does not look good on your department's yearly assessment.

And the poor man has so much to be nervous about.

Sailor Sol: So glad you like the dialogue, Dear. My editor used to tell me it was the one thing I did really well.

I have large sums of money on Lupin being the next to bite it. And for several reasons.

1. He has no real purpose anymore without Sirius there. He was sort of Sirius' 'keel' in life. Keeping him anchored in the here and now. With Sirius gone, Lupin is little more than spell fodder, folks.

2. He's a comfort to Harry, and we all know by now the poor kid isn't allowed to have any of that.

3. He's one of the original marauders. Spell targets if ever there were any. Worse risks to sell life insurance to since Star Trek security guards.

4. Rowling would likely see his death as 'significant and necessary to advance the plot of the story'. (Pffffft!)

5. He's done about all he can for the story. He's just excess printed material now.

I kind of support the Lupin/Tonks ship. Unfortunately, as we all now know, poor Lupin has no future. So tough, Tonks. (Of course, being related to Sirius, she's kind of spell fodder too, I think.)

Never drink and derive. Heehee! Cute!

skahducky: Do I have any idea when Family Relations will be out? Pretty much. I'm the one writing it.

But Dear, I ran you down the list last time. And the stories have to run that way because they are all inter-connected. I could put Family Relations out after Enemies, but it would be somewhat confusing. Be patient. We'll get there.

And keep in mind, that's only book two of a three book story arc. After that one comes Family Ties.

****

Family Life

ChibiGyouza: Well, I'm glad you liked the story.

I don't think the 'incident' with Sirius went over well with many fans. And I am certainly one of those who did not appreciate seeing one of my favorite characters whacked for what appeared to be next to no reason at all.

Actually, yes, Family Life is being sequaled in a story called Family Relations, due out next year. However, it is previewed at the end of the chapters of some of my other stories. But being old and having a bad memory, I have to say you'll have to look for those yourself, since I have no idea anymore at the ends of which stories I put them. The previews are the first three chapters of Family Relations, titled Meetings, Part One, Part Two, and Part Three. What can I say, I wasn't much for title ideas at the time.

Dear, there's not enough ego stroking in the world for this person.

All reviews are as of 10042003.

And remember,

When life gives you lemons, keep them, because hey, FREE lemons!


	27. Chapter Twenty: One More Room

A/N: Sangria tastes like overly sweet grape juice.

And as always.....,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Although this story is totally original in concept, the general set-up and background is so plagiarized, it isn't even funny. If you see anything related to the Harry Potter series, know that it is the property of JK 'Look, people, if you don't like what I do, don't read the books. Like that will really hurt me and my millions and millions of dollars. Pfffft!' Rowling and her 'But it will hurt us, please buy the books' publishers.

Chapter Twenty: One More Room

Katlin cautiously allowed herself to be directed down the hallway. From behind her, Orion was guiding her direction as he held his hands over her eyes.

"Orion!" She complained for the third time. "Now this is really getting annoying. When do I get to see?"

"Just a few more seconds." He promised in an eagerly happy sounding voice. "Just keep walking."

It had been just a under a month since she had told him about the pregnancy, and she was starting to wonder just how good an idea it had been. Since she had come to live with him, whenever he was home, he had hardly let her out of his sight. He had even suggested that on days she went to the lair, that she allow him to come and collect her to take her home. A suggestion that met with strict refusal. But all the constant attention was getting to be a bit more than she could handle. She simply wasn't use to someone always being at her elbow.

Katlin felt herself turned in a new direction and carefully maneuvered into a certain location.

"All right?" Orion announced. "Are you ready?"  
Katlin folded her arms across her chest and huffed. "I've been ready for the past several minutes."

Orion pulled his hands away from her eyes.

Katlin was utterly speechless at the sight that greeted her. 

Laid out before her was a completely furnished nursery. Perfect down to the last detail.

"Orion!" She squealed in delight, spinning about as she hugged him around the neck. "I can't believe you did this! You are so wonderful!"

"But do you like it?" He asked with a smirk as he watched Katlin immediately spin back around and start off looking around the room. After a few minutes she settled into a large, comfortable rocking chair that was set by an elegantly carved, wooden crib, a small stuffed hippogriff in her lap. Her eyes, sparkling with delight, turned back to him as he walked over to her and crouched by her side.

"Well?" He asked again.

"It's beautiful." She said, hugging the stuffed toy to her as she looked around the room again. "But," she added, noticing the soft pink color of the room suddenly, "what if it's a boy?"

Orion pulled out his wand and flicked it at the ceiling. A shower of light flew up and hit the ceiling, then spread out over the ceiling and walls, turning them a pale shade of blue.

"But you started with pink." Katlin observed. "You're not casting favorites, I hope?"

Orion shrugged happily. "A little girl would be nice. But a boy would be easier when he gets to be a teenager."

Katlin gave him an incredulous look. "And how do you figure that?" She asked.

Orion smiled, then leaned up and kissed her cheek. "Because a girl will undoubtedly turn out to be as beautiful as her mother. And I'll spend all her teenage years fighting the boys off my doorstep."

"Whereas you're just going to let your son run wild?"

Orion smiled at her. "Boys will be boys, Love."

"Well, I see proper upbringing will be left to me."

Orion got to his feet. "He'll have the Black genes."

"And what does that mean?"

"We're scoundrels, Love. Every one of us."

Katlin gave him a disbelieving look. "Well, no son of mine is going to be known as a scoundrel."

Orion shook his head as he helped her to her feet. "It's genetics, Katlin. You can't fight it."

"Watch me! And if all the men in your family are scoundrels, what are the females?"

"Oh, well, that's where you come in, you see. Your genes will win out then, and she'll be more like her mother. Happens every time in my family."

"Well then, I'm pulling for a girl."

"Girls are nice."

"Or a boy."

"Boys are good too."

Katlin turned to him. "You have no preference whatsoever, do you?"

Orion smiled at her. "Just 'healthy'. Past that, I don't care."

Katlin settled back in the rocking chair, falling into a nervous silence.

Orion tugged at the sleeve of her robe. "Hey." He asked. "What is it?"

Katlin sat for a while, then shook her head. "Orion, we can't keep this a secret forever." She said softly, turning to him. "What are we going to do when I start to show? Voldemort is going to realize I'm pregnant eventually. What I'm I going to tell him?"

Orion shrugged with a happy sort of smile. "He's about to become a grandfather...sort of?"

Katlin gave him a small smile, but it quickly faded as she turned back to the toy in her lap. "What am I going to tell him?"

"Aren't you allowed to be pregnant?"

"He'll asked who the father is."

Orion paused before he went on. His next question was one he hadn't even considered before, and it didn't leave him any too comfortable. But nor did he like even asking it of her. "Could it be someone else?"

Katlin gave him a shocked look. "No! Why would you even ask me that?"

"Katlin, I'm not trying to be insulting, but Love, you're not mine exclusively. I know that. I always have and I accept it."

Katlin turned back to the stuffed toy again, saying nothing.

"Katlin?"

"It couldn't possibly be anyone else's." She said quietly. Slowly she turned to him. "There hasn't been anyone else. Not for a very long time."

Orion's expression suddenly brightened. "Really?"

"Oh, stop looking so pleased."

"But wouldn't Voldemort become a bit suspicious about why you've gotten so selective lately?"

Katlin stared back at him. "Hardly! Despite what you may think, Orion Black, Voldemort is not my pimp and I am not his whore. I do not sleep with men because Voldemort tells me to. I do so of my own initiative because sometimes it is the best way to get what I need."

"So tell him your not sure."

"Right. That doesn't make me sound cheap."

"Then tell him the truth, Love."

Katlin gave him a searching look. "I'm sorry. And how long do you think you'll stay alive after I divulge that little tidbit to him?"

Orion thought for a moment, then shook his head with a small laugh. "I don't know. Interesting mental picture though."

Katlin leaned back in the chair. "What is?"

"Lord Voldemort, the most feared and powerful dark wizard of the past century, ripping down my front door to kill me, not because I'm an Auror, not because I'm a royal pain in his backside, not because I'm hated by 99% of his followers, and not because I've put a large number of his loyal Deatheaters in Azkaban, but....," he stated, pausing for effect, "because I got his favorite Elite pregnant."

Katlin giggled at the statement. "Yup. That would be interesting to see."

Orion sighed as he hugged her. "I'll tell you what, Love." He offered. "Let's worry about it when we have to, all right? Maybe you can just take a little leave of absence or something? We can go on a nice long vacation to Spain or something."

"Spain sounds nice."

"You'll like it there."

"I don't think I'd want to have the baby there though."

"Austria's nice too."

Katlin shook her head again. "Here."

"Pardon?"

"Here. I want to have it here, Orion. When the time comes, I want us to be here."

"Why here?"

"Because it's home."

Orion smiled as he wrapped her in his arms. "Yes, it is, Love." He replied. "Yes it is."

****

Q&A

Sailor Sol: Katlin has many ties to Voldemort. But the strongest is, of course, the fact that in her most impressionable years, the man was her sole instructor. So what she learned, she learned from him. And what was her first lesson? If someone hurts you, you strike back harder.

Well, we do know Lupin will make it to the sixth book, since he survived Book Five. The series has, tragically I feel, gone from 'What will happen to Harry this year?' to 'Who will survive this year?'. Not much of a children's book if you ask me.

I have high doubts that Dumbledore will survive the series. And I think for that we will get the same 'I'm so sorry, but it was necessary for the plot' bit. 

I guess we'll have to wait and see.

As for Lupin coming back as the DADA teacher, I have my doubts. the running gag in this series seems to be seeing who the new DADA teacher will be each year. Personally I think in the end of the series one of two people will end up with the job. Lupin or Snape. Although there is a large popular vote that Harry will be the DADA teacher at the end. In that regard, I think Harry will end up as the new Headmaster. But that's just me.

Werepup: No, no, Dear. Not THOSE kind of lemons.

All reviews are as of 10122003.

And remember:

Have a nice day! (Just leave me out of it.) 


	28. Chapter TwentyOne: What You Make Of It

A/N: Well, folks, we're in for some changes I'm afraid.

First off, my mother will being going into surgery October 22 for a hip replacement, so you can bet poor PAR is going to be a little distracted in the weeks to come. Prayers are greatly welcome. Nagging is not.

Next, I will TRY to get you guys some extra chapters out, as that I suspect to be very busy nights helping take care of my mother in her recovery. Be patient.

In order to help with my getting these chapters out, I would ask that you hold off on reviews until mid-November. I likely will not be answering anything between then and now. Just posting.

Reviews are, of course, NEVER wholly discouraged. Just understand I will not be answering any until mid-November.

That's about it, folks.

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Even though I worked my tail off on this story, I am forced with little protest to acknowledge that anything related to the Harry Potter series is the sole and expressed property of JK 'You honestly expect anyone to survive this thing?' Rowlings and her 'Thank heavens the public is so gullible and still hoping for a happy ending' publishers.

****

Chapter Twenty-One: What You Make Of It

Charly stopped by his partner's office to an all too familiar sight. Orion was once again sitting at his desk, staring vacantly at the space before him. But over the past few weeks Charly noted there was a happy, almost downright blissful look on his partner's face. A look that started waving warning flags the minute he had first seen it.

"So," Charly asked as he stepped into the office, shutting the door behind him, "to what do we owe the honor of that look?"

Orion slowly turned to his partner, the smile on his face not diminishing in the least. "To being happy, Charly. You should try it."

Charly studied his partner for a moment in a less than serious way. "You're back drinking in the morning, aren't you?" He finally asked.

Orion pulled up in his chair with a sour look. "No! For your information." But the smile reappeared quickly enough. "Charly, I have a little secret to let you in on."

"You've dumped Griss? Great! Let's celebrate."

Orion frowned again, but the smile reappeared far too quickly for Charly's liking. Especially with the mischievous touch added to it this time.

"Actually," Orion replied, his grin growing ever wider and more mischievous by the second, "that relationship couldn't be going better. Especially now."

"Now?" Charly questioned with a touch of nervousness in his voice. "What 'now'?"

Orion's smile spread across his whole face as he stared up at his partner. "Well, as my partner, you have the honor of being the first one to be told."

"Told what?" Charly nearly stammered.

"Katlin....is pregnant." Orion replied, pausing briefly for effect.

Charly felt himself go instantly numb. As hard as he might have tried, there was no masking his feelings on the matter.

"Pregnant!?" He exclaimed, happy he had shut the door to the office. "Have you absolutely lost your mind!?"

Orion's frown quickly returned. "I would hope not. I'm about to become a father." The smile reappeared at the thought. "Think of that. Me. A father."

A finger suddenly appeared before his face. "What about your family history, Orion!? What about all the things you told me!? That little 'family curse' of yours? What your father tried to stop!? The thing you're suppose to be putting an end to!? Have you completely, utterly, and thoroughly lost! Your! Mind!?"

"We'll deal with it, Charly." Orion was quick to defend. "It's not a death sentence. This thing has been a part of my family for years. It's never harmed me. I won't let it harm my child."

"I'm sure your father felt exactly the same way, Orion. Talon even devised a plan to make sure that thing never past on to his children. And did he stop it? Did he manage to put an end to it like he planned? No. In the end, 'the power' won. It passed on to you. Just like it will to your child."

Orion fixed a firm stare on his partner. "My father hated the 'Power'. He watched it destroy someone he loved and he blamed it for that happening. But my grandfather destroyed himself. I came to understand that where my father never could and never will. The 'Power' likes me, Charly. We get along just fine. It came to me, not Sirius. It lives with me, it'll die with me."

"I'm sure your father told himself all the same lies."

"Katlin and I will deal with it when the time comes."

"Does she even know? I mean, does she have any idea what's in store for her child? What it means to be a 'Black'?"

Orion stared up at Charly for a few moments. "I'll tell her, Charly. When the time is right"

"You'll tell her!?" Charly nearly jumped on the man before him.

"She has a right to know, Charly." Orion stated, facing down his partner. "You think I'm going to keep something like this from her? She is going to have my child. Something I am half responsible for. I'm not going to lie to her about the situation."

"And after that you think she's still going to have it?"

Orion looked stunned. "Still have it? What in magic's name does that mean? Of course she's still going to have it. We're both very excited about it."

"Of course she will." Charly amended quickly, a searching look coming over his expression. "Why wouldn't she?"

"What are you talking about?"

Charly stood for a few minutes staring off into space in a absent sort of way. "She's getting exactly what she wanted, Orion." Charly finally said, staring down at his partner. "She's going to have your child. A baby with the potential for more power than any wizard ever born. All....under Voldemort's control." Charly shook his head as he ran his finger through his hair. "Why didn't I see this before. This is probably what she's had planned from the start."

"What are you going on about, Charly?"

Charly turned back to his partner. "She's probably known all along, Orion. Voldemort probably set this whole thing up. Get Griss to cuddle up to you, get pregnant with your child, and then skip out. She couldn't hand him a better gift then that."

Charly watched his partner's face as the idea past across it. To his amazement, he would have sworn the idea he just presented was one that Orion had honestly not thought of. That Griss would take the child to Voldemort to be used as a weapon in his ongoing war.

"Katlin wouldn't do that." Orion replied, though even to Charly he didn't sound completely sure of his own words.

"Really? The man who raised her. Taught her to be everything she is. Molded her mind? She wouldn't see this child as the perfect gift to present to him for all he's done for her?"

"Katlin loves me. And she loves this child. She wouldn't turn it over to Voldemort to be used as any 'weapon'."

"She loves you. She loves her child. She loves Voldemort." Charly said flatly. "I wonder who's going to win that tug-of-war when she has to make a decision?"

"She never will."

"Really?"

"Because I won't allow it to happen."

"How do you plan to stop it?"

"I won't have to. Katlin's first loyalty is to her family."

"The Deatheaters are her 'family', Orion."

"And she's going to have a new one very soon."

Charly stood for a few moments staring at his friend. All the while he had been talking, his mind had been working to form a plan. Something to end this nightmare once and for all. A small smile suddenly crept to his lips.

"Then I suggest you start tipping the scales in favor of this new 'family', Orion."

"Tipping the scales?"

"What do you know about Katlin and Voldemort's relationship?"

"Quite a bit."

"What's she's told you?"

"Yes."

"What about the parts she's left out?"

"Left out?"

"People always leave something out of a story, Orion. You know that. Either willingly or subconsciously. Maybe Griss left something out that might help tip those scales a little."

"Like what?"

"That's something you need to be asking her, Mate."

Orion watched Charly walk out of his office. 

Katlin would never take the child to Voldemort. She loved her child. She loved him.

She loved Voldemort.

As hard as he tried, Orion couldn't get Charly's words out of his mind. Eventually Katlin would be faced with the very decision Charly laid out. 

And he wasn't entirely sure who would win.

****

Q&A

Werepup: So sorry about the lemons, Dear. But glad you liked the chapter anyway.

Sailor Sol: Again, this chapter was more for fun than anything else. I guess there were so many of them together because there are going to be so few from here on out.

I suppose I would have to go along with you there. Harry is more likely to end up as the DADA teacher than the headmaster. But if he ends up in that position, where is poor Lupin?

Yes, I can accept the whole 'this is a more realistic look at things' explanation of the Book V, but my argument stems from 'These started out as children's books, where, yes, the hero is suppose to win and everyone we love is suppose to be O.K. in the end'. I guess having that opinion since I started these books, I feel Rowling more or less betrayed us with BookV, and am none to happy about it. (Can't ya' tell?)

whitemudfounder: Well, go ahead and get out your book of matches. There is very little fluff from here on out.

I am glad you like Bo. But stay tuned on that one. Bo isn't nearly everything he seems. There's still a great deal you don't know about Orion's enigmatic boggart.

Never took AP anything that I remember. Just sort of muddled through high school having a good time. *Sigh* The good old days!

skahducky: Actually, Katlin's story isn't quite done yet. There's still a piece she's leaving out.

I have no preference on the baby. Probably because I know where this all is headed.

FairyTale: How very odd you should mention that, Dear. Just the other day I was going back and re-reading some of my review and came across one I wrote to you where I promised to review your story. And I thought, 'Oh Man! I haven't done that yet!' However, you did just the right thing just in case PAR hadn't caught herself. You nudged my poor memory. If you check your reviews I think you will find it is there now.

Anyway, I was sort of wondering where you had gone off to. Nice to have you back.

Orion and Katlin, being two fairly intelligent people, feel that they have pretty much all their bases covered in this relationship. But love is a funny thing. And the last thing it is is predictable.

As to the 'pregnancy prevention in the wizarding world', I leave that to the next chapter to explain.

Smashed your theory? Ummmmmmmmm........, no comment.

I kind of liked the idea of Voldemort as a grandfather. Kind of tames him down a little bit.

Charly is making quite a come back in the next few chapters. As well as is he starting to come out a bit more as a character in his own right. Indeed he had no right preaching so highly to Orion about honesty when he's hardly being honest himself. It's very unlikely Orion would be quite so anguished over lying to his partner is he knew just how much Charly is keeping from him. And believe me, it won't be pretty when Orion finds out.

I have no argument with you. Indeed, it's time to get the plot moving again. But I did mention early on I am no romance writer. Mostly because I separate the two faction in my story so directly. The story either involves romance, or action, but rarely are the two intertwined. Which is the mark of a good romance story. *Sigh* Oh well. I did warn you.

nessie: Par is never one to accuse anyone of a 'lurking habit', Dear. Especially since 'Procrastination' is my middle name. (I know it doesn't quite work with the initials.)

Of course the Black men are scoundrels. That's what makes them so much fun to write about.

Actually, Sailor Sol got me thinking about Lupin's fate again with her belief Harry will be the DADA teacher in the end. Where does that leave poor Lupin? Think about it. And I still hold fast to my theory that Pettigrew's hand isn't silver by chance.

I don't think Snape will die in the end. Mostly because it will irritate him to no end if Harry gets the DADA position.

No, no, Dear. It's not 'Percy might die', I believe it's 'Percy must die' is the cry I hear by the general reading populace.

I do believe before the end a Weasley will indeed die. And I have no doubt Voldemort will die in the end. Having trouble getting bets against that one, actually.

Lucius will likely die.

Hagrid probably will not.

Dumbledore just has a bulls-eye on him. Although I'm not sure he won't dodge that one. I can just see Dumbledore in the end of the series standing before the student body telling them how valiantly Harry died saving their worthless butts.

McGonagall....probably not.

Ron or Hermione.....probably not.

Sirius.......that's pretty much a done deal, folks. Sorry. As much as I would like to see the character again, I just don't see Rowling bringing him back.

Draco....survives.

Neville.....survives.

The twins....survive.

Harry....jury's still out on that one really. Pressed to the wall, even though I feel he has potential as the DADA in the end, I still have a nagging little voice in the back of my head saying he ain't gonna make it out of the series alive. In the end I think he will die killing Voldemort.

Reviews are as of 10172003.

And remember;

I've tried childproofing my house, but they still get in.


	29. Chapter Twentytwo: So I Guess Congratul...

A/N: Well, Mom is out of the hospital, folks, and doing just fine. I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers. And I'll try to get back on schedule with you for posting.

Disclaimer: Ha! Prove it! Pfffffffft!

Chapter Twenty-Two: So I Guess Congratulations Are Out Of Order?

Johnathan was barely in the door of the bar when Charly grabbed his arm and pulled him back outside and into the alleyway in back.

"Merlin's Beard, Misser!" The Elite stated. "Are all Unspeakables as uptight as you are?"

"You want 'uptight'?" Charly asked, turning sharply to the man behind him. "You want to see uptight? Get a mirror out, Treaks, and take a good look when I lay this little piece of news on you."

Johnathan steeled himself up immediately. "What news?"

Charly was practically bouncing about the alleyway now, pacing from one side to the other. "Your little bird, the one who your suppose to be handling. The one where....'Oh, don't worry, I have everything under control there.' 'She'll get bored and forget your partner in a few weeks'? That one?" Charly leaned into the man for emphasis. "She's. Pregnant." He stated piercingly.

Johnathan simply stood staring at the man. "She's what?" He asked slowly.

"Pregnant!" Charly nearly screamed at him. "And they're both very happy!"

Johnathan maintained his emotionless stare. "Then I guess congratulations are out of order?"

"Oh no." Charly replied sarcastically. "I'm sure the great one can't wait to congratulate them. And to show you what a sport I am, I'll let you tell him the happy news."

"How very kind." Johnathan replied dryly. "But as is ever with you Unspeakables, you've managed to identify the problem, but failed to provide a solution. No matter how obvious it is."

"Really? And what is so blatantly staring me in the face?"

Johnathan gave the man a tight smile. "You eliminate the problem."

Charly stood for a moment in silence as though thinking over the man's words. "You want to kill her?"

"Katlin? Certainly not if it could be avoided. But she is currently rather... inseparably connected to the problem."

"And that's you're solution? Kill the mother and the child?"

"I wasn't voluntarily excluding the father from that list."

Charly narrowed his stare at the man for a moment. "Excuse me. But the whole reason I got into this to begin with was to keep my partner alive. So, 'yes', I'm afraid he is excluded. His life isn't being forfeited just because your stupid bird went and got herself in the 'family way'."

"I'm sorry." Johnathan again stated very dryly. "But I believe that particular state still requires two to achieve."

"Well, it also takes two to stop. Now I've been doing my darnedest to keep them apart. 'What' exactly have you been contributing to this venture, I'd like to know?"

"Katlin has been under a continuous spell to prevent her from becoming pregnant. A much simpler answer than yours, wouldn't you say?"

"Well, apparently someone forgot to cast their little spell one night, didn't they?" Charly shot back. "Since she is, in fact, pregnant."

"I never forgot." Johnathan declared firmly. "The only thing that could have happened would have been that one of them countered the spell, on purpose or by accident, and Katlin became pregnant."

Charly sighed quietly. "Well, something sure happened." He stated. "And the 'how' of it isn't really important. What is, is what we're going to do about it before the great one finds out. Because if he does, we're both in it deeper than we've ever been before."

"I gave you a simple solution, Misser. You only need to employ it."

"Me? I thought Voldemort's great Elite were the ones so keen on killing helpless children?"

Johnathan glared at the man before him. "That's the problem with you Unspeakables." He stated. "No real stomach for killing when it's necessary."

"You're talking about an unborn child."

"I'm talking about a child with the potential from its birth to be an uncontrollable force. And when you look at the situation for what it is, the choice is quite easy."

"When you reduce it to a cold equation, what isn't?"

"What are you suggesting then? Letting it be born? Letting it live? Are you suddenly doubting everything you've been told? Everything you've seen? Dammit, Misser! You've seen the power of this thing. You've seen what it can do. It needs to be stopped."

"I'm not questioning that." Charly replied. "I'm saying you're awfully fast to jump to the conclusion that the fastest way to solve all your problems is to kill them."

"When it's the only way."

"But it's not. You see, that's the problem with you Deatheaters. You find one plan that you like and you stick with it. You don't bother to try and think up any new ones."

"I'm listening."

"It's simply a matter of adapting the plan to fit the new circumstances. The plan still remains to get them separated."

"That doesn't solve the problem of the child."

"Once that is done," Charly went on, "once Orion is out of Katlin's life, I would think she would be all too easy to convince to get rid of the child herself. She isn't going to want to have the child of the man she just left or who just left her."

Johnathan fixed a cold, hard stare on the man. "You have been trying to separate them since they got together. What have you accomplished with this strategy? Let me see?" Johnathan tapped his finger on his chin as he stared at the sky for a moment before turning back to Charly. "Oh! That's right. She pregnant!"

"I didn't expect them to actually fall in love."

"And whose fault was that? Based on another great plan to break them up."

"Plans take time, Treaks."

"Fine." The man replied with a small smile. "I'll make you an offer then. I'll work on mine, you work on yours, and we'll see whose solves the problem first."

The man disappeared with a small 'pop' before Charly had a chance to answer. Leaving the Unspeakable with a tight knot suddenly forming in his stomach. He knew very well what Treaks' 'solution' was. Nor was it something the Deatheater was likely to try and pull off on the spur of the moment. He would plan it all out. Carefully. That gave Charly at least some time to try and implement his own plan. One that would require likely most of the time he had.

Unable to apparate on his own, Charly quickly hurried back to the office on foot. There was no time like the present to start working on his own plan to save his partner's life. 

And just remember;

What Would Jesus Do.......for a Klondike bar?


	30. Chapter Twentytwo: Repost

A/N: Well, Mom is out of the hospital, folks, and doing just fine. I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers. And I'll try to get back on schedule with you for posting.

Disclaimer: Ha! Prove it! Pfffffffft!

Chapter Twenty-Two: So I Guess Congratulations Are Out Of Order?

Johnathan was barely in the door of the bar when Charly grabbed his arm and pulled him back outside and into the alleyway in back.

"Merlin's Beard, Misser!" The Elite stated. "Are all Unspeakables as uptight as you are?"

"You want 'uptight'?" Charly asked, turning sharply to the man behind him. "You want to see uptight? Get a mirror out, Treaks, and take a good look when I lay this little piece of news on you."

Johnathan steeled himself up immediately. "What news?"

Charly was practically bouncing about the alleyway now, pacing from one side to the other. "Your little bird, the one who your suppose to be handling. The one where....'Oh, don't worry, I have everything under control there.' 'She'll get bored and forget your partner in a few weeks'? That one?" Charly leaned into the man for emphasis. "She's. Pregnant." He stated piercingly.

Johnathan simply stood staring at the man. "She's what?" He asked slowly.

"Pregnant!" Charly nearly screamed at him. "And they're both very happy!"

Johnathan maintained his emotionless stare. "Then I guess congratulations are out of order?"

"Oh no." Charly replied sarcastically. "I'm sure the great one can't wait to congratulate them. And to show you what a sport I am, I'll let you tell him the happy news."

"How very kind." Johnathan replied dryly. "But as is ever with you Unspeakables, you've managed to identify the problem, but failed to provide a solution. No matter how obvious it is."

"Really? And what is so blatantly staring me in the face?"

Johnathan gave the man a tight smile. "You eliminate the problem."

Charly stood for a moment in silence as though thinking over the man's words. "You want to kill her?"

"Katlin? Certainly not if it could be avoided. But she is currently rather... inseparably connected to the problem."

"And that's you're solution? Kill the mother and the child?"

"I wasn't voluntarily excluding the father from that list."

Charly narrowed his stare at the man for a moment. "Excuse me. But the whole reason I got into this to begin with was to keep my partner alive. So, 'yes', I'm afraid he is excluded. His life isn't being forfeited just because your stupid bird went and got herself in the 'family way'."

"I'm sorry." Johnathan again stated very dryly. "But I believe that particular state still requires two to achieve."

"Well, it also takes two to stop. Now I've been doing my darnedest to keep them apart. 'What' exactly have you been contributing to this venture, I'd like to know?"

"Katlin has been under a continuous spell to prevent her from becoming pregnant. A much simpler answer than yours, wouldn't you say?"

"Well, apparently someone forgot to cast their little spell one night, didn't they?" Charly shot back. "Since she is, in fact, pregnant."

"I never forgot." Johnathan declared firmly. "The only thing that could have happened would have been that one of them countered the spell, on purpose or by accident, and Katlin became pregnant."

Charly sighed quietly. "Well, something sure happened." He stated. "And the 'how' of it isn't really important. What is, is what we're going to do about it before the great one finds out. Because if he does, we're both in it deeper than we've ever been before."

"I gave you a simple solution, Misser. You only need to employ it."

"Me? I thought Voldemort's great Elite were the ones so keen on killing helpless children?"

Johnathan glared at the man before him. "That's the problem with you Unspeakables." He stated. "No real stomach for killing when it's necessary."

"You're talking about an unborn child."

"I'm talking about a child with the potential from its birth to be an uncontrollable force. And when you look at the situation for what it is, the choice is quite easy."

"When you reduce it to a cold equation, what isn't?"

"What are you suggesting then? Letting it be born? Letting it live? Are you suddenly doubting everything you've been told? Everything you've seen? Dammit, Misser! You've seen the power of this thing. You've seen what it can do. It needs to be stopped."

"I'm not questioning that." Charly replied. "I'm saying you're awfully fast to jump to the conclusion that the fastest way to solve all your problems is to kill them."

"When it's the only way."

"But it's not. You see, that's the problem with you Deatheaters. You find one plan that you like and you stick with it. You don't bother to try and think up any new ones."

"I'm listening."

"It's simply a matter of adapting the plan to fit the new circumstances. The plan still remains to get them separated."

"That doesn't solve the problem of the child."

"Once that is done," Charly went on, "once Orion is out of Katlin's life, I would think she would be all too easy to convince to get rid of the child herself. She isn't going to want to have the child of the man she just left or who just left her."

Johnathan fixed a cold, hard stare on the man. "You have been trying to separate them since they got together. What have you accomplished with this strategy? Let me see?" Johnathan tapped his finger on his chin as he stared at the sky for a moment before turning back to Charly. "Oh! That's right. She pregnant!"

"I didn't expect them to actually fall in love."

"And whose fault was that? Based on another great plan to break them up."

"Plans take time, Treaks. And I'm still working on that one. All it takes is a few well placed suggestions to start one or the other thinking."

"And by the time you get around to implementing it, the child will be an adult."

"Hardly." Charly replied in an increasingly agitated tone. "Orion mentioned heading up the coast tomorrow to a small pub they're rather fond of for brunch. And nothing allows one to think things over like a good, long drive. And I've given my mate plenty to think over."

"Fine." The man replied with a small smile. "I'll make you an offer then. I'll work on mine, you work on yours, and we'll see whose solves the problem first."

The man disappeared with a small 'pop' before Charly had a chance to answer. Leaving the Unspeakable with a tight knot suddenly forming in his stomach. He knew very well what Treaks' 'solution' was. Nor was it something the Deatheater was likely to try and pull off on the spur of the moment. He would plan it all out. Carefully. That gave Charly at least some time to try and implement his own plan. One that would require likely most of the time he had.

Unable to apparate on his own, Charly quickly hurried back to the office on foot. There was no time like the present to start working on his own plan to save his partner's life. 

And just remember;

What Would Jesus Do.......for a Klondike bar?


	31. Chapter Twentythree: The Power

A/N: Oh, sit down! I already know what you have to say.

Yes, I promised to post more. But folks, taking care of people right out of surgery is a lot more complicated than I anticipated.

Indeed, things went well, and my mother is progressing nicely. 

But she's also mobile. Or at least she wants to be. But she can't be if someone isn't with her, but she doesn't feel that should stop her going where she wants. Which puts a lot on my father trying to keep up with her. Which I try to take the slack up on whenever I can to give him a break. So most of my free time is spent at my parents house trying to help out.

So posting more didn't quite work out as I planned.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

And allow me to say there was a very good reason this chapter is sort of late. I mean, I have managed, barring computer problems and sites not letting me log in (Hello, Xing!), being fairly consistent every Sunday night. But I'm here to tell you that this chapter was a **Bear**, folks. Most of what you have been asking about comes together in this chapter. It took me close to three months to write it and rework it and I am still not happy with it completely. But all the problems with it are not solely within this chapter, but within others (Can you say 'Continuity error'?). So yes, go and have the time of your lives finding them, the continuity errors abound.

And this is extra long. So maybe that makes up for me not being able to post more like I said I would, hey? Hey!? 

Next? Boy, did I screw up here.(Continuity error 1.)

You remember the last chapter? I left a whole section out of that that there is just no way for me to correct but to repost. I suggest you re-read it before trying this chapter, folks. The change is small, but important, and if it helps, near the end.

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Yes, it was a tough chapter. The whole story is challenging any thoughts I ever had of being a writer. But, like raising a difficult child, it's still mine, folks. (With the exception of anything related to Harry Potter, which would be the related material of JK 'HA! It ain't all fun and games now is it, Snoockums?' Rowling and her ever mercenary publishers.) 

Chapter Twenty-three: The Power

Not long after Katlin moved in, Orion was desperately asking himself why he hadn't done this sooner. Life with Katlin there was paradise to him. Every morning he woke up she was peacefully sleeping next to him. Instead of the day beginning with Tets bringing him breakfast and the paper, he started it with a long, warm cuddle under the sheets with this woman he was so madly in love with. 

No longer did the large house seem so empty. When he walked into a room, there was no guessing if it would be empty or not. More often than not he would find his lover comfortably curled up with a book in a large arm chair or on the sofa. And most often the book was resting in her lap as she slept comfortably curled up on the cushions and leaning against a pile of pillows.

Since her pregnancy started, Orion noticed that Katlin seemed able to drop off just about anywhere. While her growing exhaustion concerned him a bit, and he practically begged her to see a doctor just to make sure things were all right, Katlin constantly waylaid his worries with telling him that being tired all the time was just part of being pregnant. And she constantly warned him against her seeing a doctor due to the possibility that someone may take the news to Voldemort, and she wasn't ready to face that yet. She wasn't sure what the dark lord would think of the news, or how he would take it. And so not to start any arguments, Orion often backed down and let the matter go for the time being. 

But despite her overall desire it seemed to do little more than sleep, Orion never missed the chance to try and persuade her to go places with him. Something he seemed to enjoy more than anything else. And so often Katlin gave into him and would quickly find herself seated in the little roadster next to him as he drove off to some place that was usually kept secret until they arrived.

The wait was always well worth the trip. Sometimes they would end up stopped along the highway where he would arrange a small picnic for them overlooking the ocean. Or he would take her for an overnight trip to a small country bed and breakfast just to get her out of the house for a short spell. Or, as was the case that particular morning, he ended up driving them up the coast to a small country township for brunch at a local pub. Over all, the day had been a pleasant one. And now, late in the afternoon, Katlin was enjoying letting the wind whip her auburn tinged hair about behind her as Orion drove the little roadster along the winding path that led along the coast line. With a contented sigh she rested a hand over her stomach and settled back in the seat with closed eyes.

"Baby kicking?" The voice beside her ask.

Katlin chuckled at him. "Orion, I'm just over a month pregnant. The baby hasn't got anything to kick with."

"Ah, but he's a Black. He'll find a way. Even if it's just to be bouncing around in there, driving Mum nuts."

Katlin chuckled again. "Well, for your information, your son, or daughter, isn't doing anything right now but being a proper little parasite. I'm just stuffed, is all."

"Well, that's good." Orion encouraged her. "You need to gain weight."

Katlin gave him an evil stare.

"For the baby!" He specified, pulling back in mock terror from her stare. "Mothers need to gain weight when they're pregnant."

Katlin let her stare dissolve into a happy smile as she settled back in the seat again. "Can we just get home." She sighed. "I'm right ready for bed."

Orion reached over and lovingly brushed a bit of hair out of her face. "You can apparate if you'd like. Go on to bed. I'll bring the car about in a bit."

But Katlin shook her head. "No, I love the smell of the sea air. And the drive will just lull me to sleep anyway. Just don't trip carrying me in."

Orion smiled as his lover shifted again in her seat until she was leaning comfortably against him. 

He turned and place a gentle kiss on her head. "Have a nice nap, Love."A small 'Mmmmm' answered him.

A few miles outside of the town the road began to get a bit more difficult and Orion pressed down lightly on the brake as the car sped about a particularly sharp curve. A sudden shot of adrenalin went through his body as he pressed the brake peddle all the way to the floor without results.

"Merlin's Beard!" He whispered, gripping the steering wheel tighter as he fought to keep the roadster in the proper lane. They had crested a hill just before the curve and the little car was picking up speed at a rapid rate.

A second sharp turn jolted Katlin out of her sleep. "Orion?" She mumbled groggily. "What's wrong?"

"Apparate!" Orion shouted at her. "Now!"

Katlin shot up in her seat as Orion swerved the car back into their lane. "What!?"

"Get out!" Orion shouted at her. "We've lost the brakes. Get out of the car, Katlin!"

"But what about you!?"

"I'm right behind you. Just go!"

Katlin shot him a worried glance, then concentrated on the foyer at the house.

Nothing happened.

"Katlin!" Orion pressed.

"Something's wrong!" She replied, a slight panic in her voice. "I can't apparate!"

Orion tried to watch the road as he turned briefly to Katlin, a dozen reasons and a dozen solutions running through his mind. He turned quickly back to the road. A ninety degree turn was a few hundred yards in front of them. At the speed the roadster was traveling he would never be able to make it.

Thinking as quickly as he could, Orion focused everything he had in him on his growing fear and on Katlin. On what would happen if his plan didn't work. Reaching over he took Katlin's hand.

"Hold onto me tightly." He shouted at her. "Don't let go for anything."  
Katlin grabbed his hand, barely noticing how painfully tight his grip was as she watched the curve approach them. She knew they weren't going to make it. Orion wasn't even trying. All he seemed to be doing was keeping the car in their lane. As they headed for the guard rail of the curve, Katlin swore she had never felt such fear in all her life. The car never turned. She heard the front of the roadster hit the guard rail.

And then silence.

Katlin suddenly fell forward. She had expected to feel herself falling as the car went over the cliff's edge, and her body simply followed her expectations. But a second later she hit something hard and she was on her hands and knees, one arm wrenched behind her as she still held tightly onto Orion's hand.

Opening her eyes and looking about quickly, Katlin found herself kneeling in the foyer of Orion's house. A pair of arms were suddenly around her, lifting her into a tight embrace.

"Thank heaven!" Orion cried. "I wasn't sure! I wasn't sure it would work! But you're safe! You're all right!"

Katlin quickly pulled back from him, her eyes wide with fear and confusion.

"Orion!" She practically screamed at him in a panic. "What happened?! How did we get here!?"

But Orion just laughed as he pulled her to him again, crying over and over again that she was safe and unharmed and thanking someone for it with each sentence. But he never said who.

Katlin settled into his embrace and just let him rant on. She wasn't going to get any answers until he calmed down. A fact that frightened her all the more. Orion was rarely out of control. He was always the more level headed of the two of them. The one who thought things through to the last possible variable. But now, as he stood holding her, she would swear he was near hysterics.

Slowly, but steadily, Katlin could feel the tension begin to leave his body as he relaxed into simply holding her gently now in his arms. But finally she carefully pulled him back and fixed her gaze on him.

"Orion," she ask softly, "what happened back there? I couldn't apparate myself out, let alone someone else. How could you do this?"

Katlin watched the fear slowly creep back into his eyes as he met her gaze, then finally, turning to the floor as he shook his head, he took her hand and led her to one of the benches in the foyer and sat down, tugging at her hand for her to join him. Katlin slowly sat down next to him, a worried stare focused on the man next to her.

"Love, we need to have a talk." He said in a quiet, slow voice.

"About what?" Katlin asked, her own anxiety now growing.

Orion sat in silence for what seemed to Katlin to be an impossibly long time. But finally he spoke again.

"There's something about my family.....about me.....that I should have....I should have told you, Katlin. I should have told you a long time ago."

Katlin's anxiety grew even stronger now. 

Orion took a long, deep breath before continuing. "A very long time ago, My great-great-great grandfather worked a spell. It was a very difficult spell. And a very dangerous one. In it, he made a bargain......with.....call it a Power. I have no other name for it and I was never given one. The bargain stated.....that as long as our family line 'housed' this Power....gave it a form to exist in, it would share its power with our family.

And it lived up to it's part of the bargain. Because of the 'Power', and part of what it brought to my family, we rose in status and power within the wizarding community. 'Black' became a name not only well-known and to a point, respected, but feared as well. No one in their right mind crossed any member of my family. 

But, in order for the Power to continue, rules had to be followed. One's my great-great-great grandfather felt were small prices to pay for the power our family gained by following them. Among these rules, each generation was only to produced one offspring."

"Why only one?" Katlin asked carefully.

"The Power was passed from parent to child. If more than one child was born, the Power divided, and it weakened. It didn't want that. So it mandated that there was to only be one child for each generation. The last was my father. 

But...he broke the rule."

Katlin thought for a moment. "You have a brother." She whispered quietly.

Orion nodded. "My father saw the Power as becoming a curse to our family, not a blessing. My grandfather.....used the Power. He was a very powerful, very respected wizard in his day. And while our family was powerful at the time, he wanted it to be still more so. And so he used the Power as a method to maintain and build on our family's status. Bringing it to what it is today. Very well known, and very feared, for it's power. 

But my grandfather........he died nearly insane. In his later years we had to keep him shut away from the public. He lived in his house mostly and rarely went out. The Power fed off of him. The more he relied on it, the stronger it became in him. The more 'like' him it became until you couldn't tell one from the other. They weren't two separate entities anymore. My father use to tell me he never saw the Power more clearly than when he looked into the eyes of my grandfather."

"But...you said the Power passes from parent to child. Why was it still with your grandfather while your father was alive?"

"The Power passes on to the next host by one of two ways. When the original host allows it, or the original host is in danger of death. But when it came to my father, he had seen what it had done to his own father. So, while the Power stayed with the man who used it, who gave it a greater existence than anyone before him, it never saw the child who watched it destroying someone he loved. 

And my father grew to hate it."

"Then why not just leave it where it was?" Katlin asked. "Let it die with it's host?"

"Because the original spell was set up to never allow that to happen." Orion answered. "If the original host is going to die, the Power is allowed to leave that host and go to the next on its own. 

But when the Power did pass to him, my father was prepared for it in a way the Power never expected. He had devised spells and charms that allowed him to control the Power while it was in him. 

From the day it came to him, he refused to let it out. He never tapped into it. Never used it. Never let it see the light of day. He buried it within himself and kept it there. And all the while formulating a plan to rid our family of it once and for all."

Katlin thought for a moment. "He had two son's."

Orion nodded. "That was the start of his plan. The Power, by the parameters of the original spell, was forced to divide between the children if more than one was born into the family. My father hoped that by doing so it would weaken it enough to finally rid our family and the world of it."

Katlin stared at her lover. "How?" She ask in a flat tone.

"By ending the family line." Orion answered in the same flat tone. "The rest of the spell's parameters stated that should the family line die out, so would the Power."

Katlin sat for a moment thinking over what Orion was telling her. "You were never suppose to have children." Her voice was devoid of any emotion now.

Orion shook his head. "No."

"Or your brother."

"And Sirius lived up to his part of things. Without even knowing it." Orion added with a small laugh.

Katlin's eyes widened in understanding. "He doesn't know?"

Orion shook his head. "Our father felt the best way to keep a host from using the Power was if they never even knew they had it access to it."

"But what if........what if he had had a child?"  
Orion shrugged. "We were raised with some very strict principals." He explained. "And we were always taught to be careful."

Katlin frowned at him, turned to her own still flat, firm abdomen, then turned back to him. "Accidents happen?"

Orion looked over at her, following the path her eyes took before looking back up at her. "Accidents happen."

"So this 'Power' will pass to our child?"

"I don't know, Katlin. And if it does, it is my own stupidity and arrogance that allowed it."

"How?"

"You guessed that part of the way my father planned to destroy the power was by having two children. By forcing the Power to divide itself. But he came up with an even more fiendish plan than that. He didn't want the Power. He didn't want it to be a part of him or any part of his family. That even though it would be divided, it would still exist. It would still touch his own children. And he didn't want that. 

And so my father took to studying the original spell. To see if there wasn't some way to end our 'family curse' once and for all. And one night he felt he had found what he was looking for. By the parameters of the original spell, the Power had to have a host. But that was all the spell specified. 'A host'. A family 'member'.

"What difference does wording make?"

"In regards to this particular spell, it made a great deal of difference. Apparently my great-great-great grandfather wasn't just some power hungry fool of a wizard. He was quite clever about how he went about getting that power. And in the original spell he left a safety net for his family. A way to rid the family of the Power if the need so arose.

In the original wording of the spell, the Power only required a family member as a host."

"So?"

"It never specified a 'blood' family member."

"That's just semantics."

"Certainly that was a possibility. But it was one my father was willing to gamble with. Should he fail, the only person who would pay would be him."

And so he set out finding a new host for the Power. Late into the night he would sit in the den by himself, trying to think of a way to perfect his plan. Going over the smallest details of it until he felt there was no error in it.

But a new host. 

That was the part that eluded him the longest. It had to be one that was.....for the most part....harmless. One that had little more than the mind of a child, was easily controlled, and that would live long past Sirius or I, so there was no danger of it trying to come back to our family."

Katlin thought for a moment, but then slowly turned her eyes back to Orion. "Who?" She asked slowly as understanding began to dawn on her. 

"You've seen him." Orion replied.

"Bo." She replied in a low whisper. "Your father transferred this....this 'Power' into the boggart."

Orion gave a half-hearted sort of smile. "I told you he wasn't your average boggart."

"And this 'Power'....it saved us." Katlin asked as she turned her attention back to the present. "But how could it have done that if it lives in Bo now? Bo was here. At the house. How could he even know......?"

Orion gave a deep sigh. "When I was still very young," he answered, "I was, as my mother used to say, too curious for my own good. I used to see my father go down into the cellar every so often, but no one else in the house was allowed down there. And so, I reasoned, whatever was down there had to be something worth investigating. And so one day, when my father was away on a mission and my mother was in the kitchen cooking up some potion that would take some time, I snuck down into the cellar. 

Almost immediately I ran into a barrier. But it wasn't one I could understand. The barrier was there. I could feel it. But it didn't stop me from going through it in either direction. 

Well, not caring past that, I continued down into the cellar. It was so dark I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. But suddenly a green, glowing light appeared in the far corner. Well, I was a curious child, as I said. So I followed it. But suddenly the light disappeared, and I distinctly heard a door open and close. I ran to where I last saw the light and searched the wall I found there until I found the door. I opened it and found myself now facing a long, carpeted, lit hallway, lined with doors. I was mesmerized. A whole corridor of unanswered questions. That was all I saw. And so I began to explore. 

I opened the several doors, only to find, to my growing disappointment, nothing at all behind them. But several doors down, I opened one and a horrible, scaly creature emerged, lunging at me. 

I don't think I ever screamed so loud in all my life. But as soon as I screamed, the creature retreated. At first I thought maybe it was as afraid of me as I was of it. But I quickly realized it was my scream that alarmed it. It quickly backed away from me, its hands held out, frantically shaking its head. I abruptly stopped screaming, and to my amazement, the creature vanished. In its place now stood a figure in dark robes. Sort of specter looking thing really. I stood for the longest time just looking at it. I had no idea what this new creature was. But it wasn't attacking me, and so I thought perhaps I could talk to it. I asked it if it could talk. The creature shook its head. Well, that was going to be a problem. 

I was trying to figure out a way to communicate with it when the creature prodded me in the shoulder. I looked up and it directed me down the corridor with the wave of a thin white hand. I looked down the corridor to what it was indicating, and before I knew it, the door slammed shut in front of me and I was alone in the corridor again. 

I decided the only thing to do was go see what the creature wanted me to look at. 

Well, a few feet down the corridor, another door suddenly flew open in front of me and the same scaly creature leapt out at me. But this time, as soon as I got over the initial shock, I began to laugh. So the creature wanted to play a game. I was willing to go for that. And it seemed pleased that I liked the new game. It quickly disappeared behind the door and I continued down the corridor. 

A few more feet and another door flew open. This time a werewolf leapt out at me. I jumped at first, but then laughed again. This time I congratulated my opponent on being able to give me a good scare, and warned him it wouldn't be so easy next time. 

A few more feet down the corridor a ghost jumped out at me. I huffed this one off. We had ghosts in the house and they didn't frighten me in the least and I told the creature this. 

The next time it was a ghoul, then a hag, then a vampire. And so the game continued until I checked my watch and realized my mother was going to be done with her potion soon. I told the creature I had to leave, which obviously disappointed him as he stood before me with slumped shoulders. But I promised I would come back as soon as I could.

And I did. Every chance I got I went down into the cellar to play with my new found friend. We had great times together."

"But he was a boggart." Katlin stated. "How much fun was there in something that keeps trying to scare you?"

"Bo, that was what I came to call him, wasn't your average boggart. He didn't always try to scare me. Sometimes he turned out to be an exceptionally good listener. He was someone to talk to, someone to play with, and something of a mentor for my magic. Bo knew some basic spells, and helped me develop my own emerging magical abilities. I found out Bo could talk if he assumed the shape of something that could speak. A person for instance. But it was like having a piano and not knowing how to play. He could speak, but he didn't know the language. Well, not a lot of it, anyway. He could repeat things he had heard, and speak in basic words and phrases. Over all, it wasn't very easy to understand him. And so instead, over time we developed a system of signals to communicate. Something like 'Charades'. But every move and gesture meant something specific to me and I could understand him quite well. I worked over the years to teach him the language I spoke to him, but he still preferred the sign language we had developed in the end. 

From him I learned part of our family's history with him. That he wasn't just a boggart, but a type of symbiotic spirit, trapped by my father in the body of a boggart. When I asked him why my father had done this, he said he didn't know."

"He never told you the truth." Katlin quickly interjected in a harsh tone.

"I don't honestly think he knew it, Katlin. I think the 'Power', for all it may be, isn't really that sophisticated. It was brought into a world it didn't understand. The only contact to that world it had was through its host. It fed off of its host's feelings and emotions. It became that person. My grandfather was a very....ambitious man. As was his father before him. They wanted our family name to mean something. And they would devise any means to accomplish that. That was what brought the 'Power' into being to begin with. My family created it, Katlin. And now that it had done what we wanted of it, we kept it locked away in a dark cellar. 

Learning things from Bo's side of the story, I could see things clearer than my father."

"He never told you the truth." Katlin repeated.

"He told me what he understood of it." Orion replied. "He was locked in a cellar and he didn't know why."

"Surely your father told him."

"My father never communicated with him or even tried back then. He only saw or knew Bo as one thing. The thing that had destroyed his own father."

"But...," Katlin stated slowly, remembering something Orion had once told her, "you said that your father and the boggart used to play tricks on you."

"Still do." Orion interjected quickly.

"But when he appeared as your father in the cellar, you said that was a trick they used to play on you."

"Still do." Orion admitted, this time a bit more forlornly.

"But....why would Bo....play tricks...with a man who kept him locked away in a cellar for years? He must hate him."

"Bo doesn't 'hate' anyone, Katlin. I don't think he really understands the concept of 'hate'. Granted, he likes some people more than others. And some he's down right indifferent to. I guess that's as close to 'hate' as he can come."

"But your father.....surely he wouldn't participate in such a thing with a creature he's afraid of."

"Well, first off, my father isn't 'afraid' of Bo. He just didn't like or trust him for his own reasons. And...secondly, he's mellowed a bit towards him in the past few years. Gotten to know him through me. Begun to understand him a little more. He's even learned a bit of how to communicate with him. 

My father is still a bit weary of Bo. But he isn't, nor has he ever been, afraid of him. 

But earlier on, when my father kept him in the cellar, Bo told me, he didn't care to communicate with the boggart, or try to get to know anything about it past what his hatred told him of it. When he went down into the cellar, Bo said my father did little more when he was down there then to check the barrier, which I learned was to keep Bo in the cellar, and then leave. 

He was lonely, Katlin. Even as a child I understood loneliness. He was a living thing, locked away from any contact in a world that he didn't understand."

"He was playing to your sympathy."

"Perhaps. But we both benefited from it. Bo never tried once to really hurt me. He was always patient and listened to me. He was a comfort, a confident, and a friend."

"He was a boggart that wanted out of that cellar." Katlin stated firmly.

"Again, perhaps. And I did try to free him. 

As the time approached that I would be going away to Hogwart's for the first time, I already began to miss my friend. 

And as the time got closer, whenever I went down into the cellar, I guess Bo began to noticed my change in demeanor and asked what was wrong. 

So I told him. 

I told him I didn't want to go to school. I wanted to stay there. I wanted to stay with him. At school everything would be new and different. It was the first time I would have ever been away from home for any extended period without some member of the family with me. 

And I hated the idea. 

Bo asked me if someone could go with me, would that make it easier for me? Less frightening." Orion gave a small laugh. "Imagine that. A boggart wanting to make something less frightening for someone."

"And what was his suggestion?" Katlin asked.

"Bo said that it was possible that 'he' could go with me. That he could come with me to Hogwarts and no one would ever know."

"How? He was trapped in the cellar."

"Bo had lived with a wizarding family for a very long time. Been part of some of the most powerful wizards of their day." Orion explained. "I guess in that time he learned a thing or two. He had, after all, been helping me with my own emerging magical abilities for years. 

So weeks before I was to leave for Hogwarts, he began teaching me spells. I didn't know their purposes entirely, and I didn't care at the time. All I knew was that Bo promised if I learned them right, he could come with me to Hogwarts.

I was in the cellar every chance I got. Which wasn't easy. My parent's weren't always about, being at work. But my little brother was. And like most little brothers, mine followed me about incessantly. And so I had to learn fast since I didn't have unlimited time with my teacher. As soon as my parents left for work, I would ditch Sirius as quickly as I could, sneak past the house-elves and go into the cellar, where I spent as much time as I could learning my spells. Of course, I had to put in some appearances in the house from time to time. But as much time as I could get away with, I spent in the cellar. And eventually my hard work paid off. 

Bo had tried to teach me two things. One was to break my father's barrier. The other was to, as he told me, allow him to come into me. To be his host until we got to Hogwarts so he could be snuck in without anyone knowing."

"But if he knew the spell to break the barrier your father put up, why didn't he use it himself?"

"He said he couldn't. That was part of the spell. He couldn't use it himself. Someone else had to perform the spell. And so, right before I was to leave for Hogwarts, I went down into the cellar one morning and did everything just as Bo had taught me. And not to just a little of my amazement, the first spell worked. I broke through the barrier and Bo was free."

"Free to wreck vengeance on the family that put him there."

Orion shook his head. "I don't think Bo would have hurt anyone on his own. But that's a question I'll never know the answer to. Since things didn't go quite as we had planned" 

Orion paused for a few moments as he turned again to the floor. "As soon as the barrier came down, I performed the second spell that allowed Bo to come into me. Mind you, I didn't really understand at the time what that meant. I was never told about the 'Power'. About its potential, its danger, or anything else. I only saw it as 'Bo'.

But as soon as Bo came into me, I......I had never felt anything like that in my life. The sheer power of his presence was absolutely intoxicating. I had never felt my magic so strong within me as I did at that moment. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world to me. And one I never wanted to lose. 

But suddenly, another barrier came up behind the first. One I couldn't get through. 

At first I didn't understand why I couldn't get through the barrier. It was the same as the one that had been there before. But suddenly it dawned on me that Bo was now a part of me, and he could never get through the barrier. As long as he was with me, I couldn't get out of the cellar any more than he could. 

My father had laid a trap I hadn't suspected. Apparently in case Bo himself ever managed to get through the first barrier or someone were to try and help Bo escape

I had....never....seen my father so angry as he was when he saw who his trap had caught. I was quite certain I was one dead little wizard. 

But that anger quickly turned to fear as he came to realize why I was the one caught in his trap. 

My father slowly came down the steps. To me it seemed each one was punctuated with a question. Why was I down here? How long had I been coming down here? What had I done?"

The last part was said so softly Katlin barely heard him. 

But Orion quickly went on. "I answered every question as best I could. As I understood things. And to me I was defending my friend as much as myself. I thought it was wrong of my father to keep Bo locked in the cellar. And I told him so. 

I was told I didn't understand the situation. How dangerous it was. My father began to tell me about the 'Power'. But every time he started, I would finish for him. Everything he wanted to tell me, I already knew. But I told things from Bo's point of view. One my father had never heard. 

When he asked me how I knew what I did, I told him. And like you, he said Bo was just manipulating me to get free of the cellar. I said I didn't believe that, and how could he be so certain about the intentions of a creature he had never really gotten to know past what he saw. Bo had simply done the best he could with what he was given. His intention had never been to harm anyone. He didn't understand that what he was doing through his host was harming them. 

My father grew very quite after that. I will never forget those minutes, my father standing on those stairs looking down at me like I was something.........something he...he just didn't know what to do with. But finally he came down the few remaining steps until he was standing just on the other side of the barrier from me. 

And then he addressed me like I was someone else. He told me that if I wasn't all he believed, if I was harmless, and if I meant no harm, to let his son go. I don't think even seconds past before my father suddenly pulled his wand out. 

Something inside of me pulled back at the sight of it. Of what felt like their own accord, my arms came up in front of me, as thought to ward off a blow that was coming, and a word formed itself in my brain and came out of my mouth in a cry of despair. 

'No'. 

That was all Bo had the time to say before my father pointed his wand at me and spoke a powerful spell to drive him out."

"And?" Katlin asked.

Orion sat for a few moments in silence, staring forlornly at the floor. "I have never felt such an emptiness in me as when the Power left me and returned to the creature that it had left at the base of the stairs. It was like losing a part of myself I never even knew was there. 

But I didn't have long to think about it. My father grabbed my arm and pulled me through the barrier and up the stairs after him. With the 'Power' gone, I could now pass through the barrier. 

Once out of the cellar my father placed another spell on the door similar to the one that had trapped me. Then I was taken to my room and given the lecture of my life. One that involved a lot of yelling as I recall. Didn't I understand family responsibility? Hadn't I been told not to go into the cellar? Didn't I ever listen to my parents? Over and over he said the same things. And then..........then I saw my father do something I hadn't seen him do in all my short life. He cried. Right in front of me he broke into tears and grabbed me in a tight embrace. He rambled on about how he had never wanted this to happen. It was what he had tried so hard to prevent. To save me from. And it had happened anyway. Despite his efforts, his precautions, his plans......., the 'Power' had now come to me. It had touched me and now would be a part of me until I died. 

My mother had come into the room during the lecture part, making sure my father didn't kill me I supposed, as I was almost sure he was going to. I turned my gaze to her, and saw tears in her eyes as well. 

I simply didn't understand what everyone was so upset about.

Well, I wasn't given long to wallow in my blissful ignorance. That very day my father began teaching me the spells and charms he had learned to control the Power. 

He kept calling it that. 'The Power'. 

I kept calling it 'Bo'. 

And that became a bit of a power struggle between us right off the bat. 

He felt I was personalizing it too much. Making it like a pet. Not seeing the danger of it. 

I tried to remind him that 'Bo' hadn't harmed me when he had had the chance. He said he had had to force the Power out of me. 

I argued he never gave Bo a chance to leave me. 

And so we argued on. But despite my misgivings about the situation, I still learned the spells he taught me. After learning so many protection spells and charms before I even started school, I guess that was what made me so good at them. By the time school started, I was almost an expert at them already."

"So you went to school alone after all." Katlin said softly.

"I went to school." Orion agreed. "The 'alone' part is a bit questionable."

"What do you mean?"

"My father went with me to school, along with my mother. They were a very prominent witch and wizard. Both had graduated from Hogwarts themselves. And now their son was going to the same school. They wanted to be there for the sorting. My father said it was a type of family tradition. To see each child's sorting. And, despite what had happened just prior, my father felt that the whole incident had also served to show what potential I had in me to become a great wizard."

"My, but couldn't he find the silver lining on that cloud?"

"Always could. And to him, this was the one circling the events that had happened in the cellar. It simply showed that I was already showing great promise. 

But, regardless of how much silver he painted around that cloud, it was bound and determined to remain a cloud not matter what."

"Meaning?"

"The sorting.....didn't go quite as my father expected it would."

"How so?"

"All my family was sorted into Gryffindor. My mother, my father, my grandfather..., as far back as anyone could remember. So naturally I was expected to go to Gryffindor as well."

"And you didn't?"

"The hat sat for a very long time on my head saying nothing, 'hmmming' to itself. It sat there longer than for anyone else. 

But finally, it made it's choice."

"And that was?"

"Slytherin."

"But what was wrong with that?" Katlin stated indignantly. "Slytherin is a fine house. The ambitious and the cunning are usually sorted there. And you had already showed yourself to be both with what you did in the cellar."

"Yes, but most people don't associate those traits with decent people."

"It depends how you use them." Katlin replied with a slight frown. "Ambition and cunning can be very useful for promoting what people think of as 'good' as well as evil."

"True enough. But my father most definitely did not see it that way. 

He held his ground, but I could see the anger in his eyes. I could feel it like a wave rolling through the great hall. 

When the sorting was over, I was taken by my father immediately to the headmaster's office. 

Poor Dumbledore. My father came into that office like a tidal wave. But the headmaster met his fury like the beach meets that tidal wave. He just let him wash right over him, never so much as lifting an eyebrow. 

And in the end, the wave was gone and the beach remains.

When my father had spent out the majority of his fury, Dumbledore quietly asked him what he wanted him to do about the situation. I had been sorted. The hat never lied. My father demanded that I be resorted. The hat had made an error, he said. There were...circumstances.....that hadn't been taken into consideration the first time.

Dumbledore got up from his desk and crossed over to where the hat sat on its shelf. They conversed quietly for a few minutes, and then finally the headmaster took the hat off the shelf and walked back over to where my father and I stood.

The hat agreed to resort me, he told my father. But, it warned my father quite directly, he would have to accept its decision this time. It would accept no further protests from my father on the matter."

"But....but that's unheard of!" Katlin stated in shock. "No one is ever sorted twice. It isn't done."

"Well, this time it was. And so the hat was sat on my head again right there in the headmaster's office. Again the hat thought for an unbearably long time. 

When it finally spoke, it didn't simply call out a house, nor did it speak to me, nor to the headmaster. Instead it shuffled about on my head until it was facing my father. And then it spoke. 

It said that in my nature I had all the traits that I would be able to develop well in Slytherin house. For good or for evil, that was my choice. But Slytherin was where I belonged....in part."

"In part?"

"The hat went on to tell my father that in me it quite clearly sensed a dual nature. Almost as though I were two people. That was why it had taken the hat so long to sort me the first time. It was trying, it told my father, to decide which 'person' it was to sort. One most definitely belonged in Slytherin. That part of me was ambitious, cunning, and very powerful. 

The other side was a bit fool-hearty, but tempered it with a brave nature and a keen intelligence as well. And so the hat stated that while it stood by the original sorting, it now declared me to be a Gryffindor.

Well, you can imagine the scene when the three of us returned to the great hall and I was placed at the Gryffindor table. The Slytherins were outraged. The Gryffidors as well. The Slytherins felt that they had unjustly lost one of their house members. The Gryffindors felt a wolf had been dropped in their midst. And for me? I felt like a person who had no home at all. I didn't really belong in either house. 

The other Gryffindors were cordial enough to me, but their suspicion was always there. And the Slytherins felt I belonged with them, and it was an insult to their house that I was re-sorted into Gryffindor. Which caused even more stress between the two houses. Which I was blamed for by the Gryffindors."

"Why didn't you just tell them what happened?"

"I wasn't allowed. I was strictly told by the headmaster I was never to mention what went on in his office, or anything that the hat had said. Not to my mother, my brother....no one. The houses would just have to accept what was.

Through my school years I had very few friends. I was alone mostly. I became known for being sullen and a loner and most learned to stay away from me. 

When I went home, I had two friends. Charly and Bo. But my father forbade me to go anywhere near Bo. And so my only other friend was now taken from me. 

During the summers I spent a great deal of time with Charly. But until my fifth year even that time wasn't much of a comfort to me. I wasn't allowed to tell Charly the truth about myself. That I was a wizard. And when my parents finally agreed to let me tell him, I couldn't tell him the whole truth. In fact, I was strictly forbidden to tell anyone about Bo or anything of what had taken place concerning him. Even Sirius. But at least being able to share one secret about myself with one of my two friends was some comfort."

"Wait a minute!" Katlin stopped him abruptly. "Your partner.....Charly Misser.....he's a muggle!?"

"Surprise?"

"But.....we've seen him use magic." She stated firmly. "He's a wizard!"

"He's a muggle."

"That's not possible!"

"It's very possible. And if you'll just give me a minute, Katlin. I'll get to that part." Orion told her. 

He paused for a moment, then went on. "In my sixth year, everything changed, and I wish I could say it was for the better. 

When I returned to Hogwart's that year, a lot of things started to happen I couldn't explain. Something was strengthening in me. In my lessons with my father, I had been warned to be weary of this. Of the feeling that my magic was suddenly expanding. Growing stronger. That it wasn't my own innate magic. It was my magic being corrupted by the Power. 

It was time for me to employ the lessons my father had tried to teach me for so many years to control the force that was now a part of me."

"And you did?"

Orion gave a small laugh. "Are you nuts!? I was a teenager. 

Suddenly I realized I had an ability to do things no one else could do. I was stronger.....better than the rest. I was on top of the world as far as I was concerned. 

But that also came to a abrupt end."

"Your father found out?"

Orion nodded. "I was called to the Headmaster's office one day a few months later. 

There was my father, looking angrier than I had seen him that day in the cellar. And I got the second lecture of my life. About family loyalty. About listening to your parents. About self-control. Everything and anything he could cram into that hour that he stood there trying to make me understand. 

And in the end, it all came down to one thing. He told me that if the 'Power' grew strong enough, it wouldn't be divided anymore."

"What did that mean?" 

"Remember that the 'Power' currently was only half of it's whole ability and strength because my father had two sons. So the 'Power' was, in fact, divided. Bo only encompassed half of the whole of the 'Power'."

"But then the 'Power'.....it was already in your brother."

"Not really in him. It was more like...it was in a limbo. It had no where to go. Part of it was in me. Part was in Bo. But those two parts were part of the one half. From the moment Sirius was born, the Power was divided whether it wanted to be or not. It had to give up part of itself to satisfy the parameters of the original spell. The other half was...dormant. Unused and weak. And while it wasn't actually 'part' of Sirius, he had only to call on it to bring it to life. 

But my father warned me that as I used the 'Power', it grew stronger, and it would eventually find its other half. It would find Sirius. And it would, by the strength I had given it, begin to grow in him as well. And it would destroy him, or one of us, if it had to to rejoin itself."

"And what happened?"

"I stopped. That very day, I worked to cut myself off from the 'Power'. 

But...it was like stopping a drug. A very powerful one. Thankfully, the Headmaster took the situation in hand and assigned me to special teachers. Ones who helped me relearn all my father had tried to teach me as a child. And I learned all over again how to control what had almost controlled me."

"But what about your brother?"

Orion paused for a moment. "I never saw any hint in Sirius that he was using the 'Power', or that he even knew about it. I tried to subtly warn him. To make him remember all the things our father had tried to teach us when we were both young to keep the 'Power' in him at bay. Things we thought of as just learning basic spells, and never saw the real reason for. 

When I left Hogwarts, I met up with my only other friend again, Charly Misser. We started working for the muggle law enforcement, and eventually I was approached to work as an Auror. With a lot of finagling, I got Charly admitted to the Ministry as well."

"And how did you manage that? A muggle working for the Ministry of Magic?"

"I didn't want to join up with the Ministry if it meant leaving my partner behind. Charly and I talked about it a lot during the nights I struggled with the decision. He told me to do what I felt was right. That he didn't hold it against me.

But then one night he said something that open a door. One I hadn't thought of before, and I didn't know why. I told Charly the reason I had been asked to join the Ministry was because of Voldemort's growing power. That they needed wizards to help fight him. Charly said he always felt some part of the wizarding community, and wished there was something he could do to help. Wishing that he could 'tap' into magic as well and help in the fight. 

I sat for a moment just staring at him. Charly had never expressed an interest in such a thing before. I don't know if he just never thought of it, or just didn't think it was possible. 

I asked him if he was serious. If I could fix it so he could use magic as well, would he want to?

Charly jumped at the chance. He was absolutely thrilled with the idea of being a wizard. Even just in part. 

So I started trying to put our plan into action. I tried several spells, a lot of charms, everything I could think of. But nothing worked. 

And so finally, not knowing who else to turn to, I went back to my childhood friend."

"Bo?"

"My father would have scoffed at the idea. A muggle using magic. It was unheard of. But the idea intrigued Bo. I was staying at the house part-time. Had been for some months. My mother and father were retired now and traveled almost constantly and were rarely home. So I took to looking after the house for them. For a long time I never went near the cellar. In part a little out of fear. In part because I didn't know how Bo would react to me. I hadn't seen him in perhaps three years. I was sure he would hate me. Feel I had abandon him. Was treating him like my father had. 

But when I opened the cellar door, Bo practically flew up the stairs, running smack into the barrier that was still in place. He acted like a little puppy whose owner was coming home after a very long day. He was simply happy to see me. Happy to see his friend again. He literally danced about on the stairs, going through a series of gestures as he told me how happy he was I was back.

I had never felt so low in my life before that. Here I had abandoned him out of fear. Locked him in that cellar and done all I could to just forget he even existed. Just like my father. And there he stood, acting like those three years had never happened and just happy to see me again. All the excitement and joy he always showed at the sight of me coming down the stairs."

"Sounds a bit simplistic for such a dreaded power."

"Well, Bo is, for all intents and purposes, a very powerful force trapped in the mind of a child. It was my father's greatest way to control the Power. 

But Bo started in with a whole list of questions. Where had I been? Why had I stayed away so long? Was I going to stay? 

A hundred questions. 

And then....the one I dreaded the most. 

Was I going to let him out of the cellar? 

I stood before my old friend for a long time saying nothing. I watched as all the excitement and joy in him died down and finally faded. 

He looked up at me and slowly gestured 'No'. He understood my silence better than any words could have conveyed.

He started back down the stairs, looking sadder then I ever remembered. I called out to him and coaxed him back up the stairs. I sat down on the steps, and I tried to explain things to him. What had happened since he last saw me. I told him.....I felt he had lied to me about himself. He hadn't told me the truth. He had tried to trap me. To trick me into letting him out of the cellar. To becoming his new host. How did he think I could ever trust him now?

Bo stood for a long time on the stairs making no move. But finally he looked up at me again, and began a series of gestures. He told me he thought having him a part of me was what I wanted. That no one would be able to separate us then. 

I told him 'no'. The people he became a part of he destroyed, and I didn't want that. 

The statement seemed to genuinely surprise him. And again I didn't think Bo honestly understood what he did to his hosts. 

And so I explained things to him, the way my father had explained them to me.

In the end, I told Bo that things weren't the same between us anymore. I wasn't a naive little child who believed everything he was told. He had lied to me. Manipulated me. And that I would not forgive. 

But I also told him I didn't believe everything that had happened between him and my family was his fault. He simply had never understood and no one had ever bothered to explain or try to communicate with him. 

He had used us and we had used him. A simple exchange. 

But I felt Bo deserved something from our family...and from me. We had all abandoned him in one way or another for our own reasons. And so concessions were made on both sides. I would allow him out of the cellar, but he couldn't leave the estate unless I allowed it. And since he claimed he was bored in the cellar, I gave him a job to do. He was to protect the house. He could go where he wanted in the house and around the grounds, but no further. 

If he proved I could trust him, I would allow him out past the estate sometimes, but only if I was with him. But that was not as punishment as I explained to him. He simply didn't understand the world enough to be out in it alone.

Bo agreed to all my terms, since in them he was getting the one thing he craved above any other. His freedom. Even if it was still a cage he was in, it was a slightly larger one than the one he was currently in. And it had the potential for fun."

"Like scaring me?" Katlin asked with a frown.

Orion shrugged with a slight sigh. "You. Me. The house-elves. He doesn't care. As long as he has fun. It's like constantly having a perpetual, over-active three year old on your hands. All he wants to do is scare someone. He thinks it's great fun. Sometimes I purposefully leave the house open so someone will try to break in." Orion smiled at the thought. "Merlin's Beard! How he loves that."

"So where did Charly fit into all this?" Katlin asked.

Orion sighed again as he thought back to where he had left off in his story. "I told you Bo knew a great deal about magic. He had learned from his previous hosts. And so I figured he was sort of a living encyclopedia of knowledge about obscure magic. 

But I quickly found out he wasn't just an encyclopedia, he was a whole library of the stuff. A seemingly endless fountain of charms, spells, curses, and hexes he had no idea the purpose of. He just knew them. And over the years he's been very useful in that regard. 

And so I asked him if he knew any way that I could allow a muggle to use magic. Where a muggle could actually use a wand and do spells. 

Bo thought for a very long time. He finally told me he would have to think about it and I was to come back tomorrow. 

Well, I had known him too long to be taken in by this act. The truth was, he knew the answer. I just wasn't going to like it. When I was young, and I asked him things, he did this same thing. What he wanted was time to present the answer in the most favorable light. 

But it had been a long day and I wasn't in the mood to fight with him, so I left.

The next morning I awoke to find a black-robed figure standing at the foot of my bed. It took me a few minutes to recognize my childhood friend. I asked him what he was doing there? How could he be out of the cellar?

Bo explained that I had given permission for him to leave the cellar. My word was all that was necessary to bring down the barrier and set him free. 

I told him I gave that permission if he proved I could trust him. 

Bo didn't say anything, but simply continued to stand at the foot of my bed. Then it dawned on me that proving himself was exactly what he was doing. He was out of the cellar and he was 'behaving' according to our agreement. 

I asked him if he did something 'bad', what would happen. Bo told me that as surely as our agreement had set him free, violating it would imprison him again. I felt that was adequate motivation to ensure he would behave himself. 

And so I turned my attention to other matters. I remained him he said he would answer my question today. 

Bo agreed. 

He told me that 'yes', there was a way that a muggle could do genuine magic, even though they have no innate magical ability in them. But the cost to the wizard was not a small one.

Bo told me that I could enable Charly to do magic by, in essence, allowing him to draw off of my innate magical ability. But in order for him to do so, he had to have some physical connection, not to me, but to my magic. 

Bo said to accomplish what I wanted, I had to give Charly my wand."

Katlin's eyes widened in disbelief. "You didn't!"

Orion sat for a moment in silence, staring at the floor before him. "I thought about it for a very long time. My wand....was more a part of me than anything else I had. It was, to me, what made me a wizard. What made me who I was. What I was. It was absolutely the last thing I ever thought of. To part with it. To give it to someone else. 

But in the end, I did what Bo said. I gave Charly my wand. I performed the spells Bo taught me to make the wand respond to Charly through me. 

But there were two things we couldn't circumvent, no matter how hard we tried."

"And they were?"

"We couldn't arrange a way for Charly to apparate unless I was with him. He had to have direct physical contact with me for that."

"And the other?"

"He can't fly a broom. That requires a direct innate magical ability. Something Charly simply doesn't have."

"So you created a wizard out of a muggle."

Orion could hear the sinicism laced throughout the comment. "Charly is every bit as much a wizard as I am, Katlin. The only difference is he wasn't born one."

"Oh, there's sound reasoning." Katlin pointed out with the same sarcasm in her voice as before. "He isn't a wizard at all, Orion. He's a muggle doing magic tricks, that's all. It's the ultimate 'smoke and mirrors'. Without you, he's just a muggle. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"Try him in a fight. I think you'll come out believing very differently."

"He is a muggle." Katlin emphasized each word.

Orion sighed to himself. He wasn't in the mood to argue moot points at the moment.   
"Call him whatever you want." He replied. "But the man handles magic as well as any wizard I know."

Katlin sat for some time in silence as she turned her mind back to the more pressing questions there. "What does this 'Power' do?" She asked finally in a quiet voice.

"You saw what it can do." Orion answered her. "It broke through a spell that wasn't allowing us to apparate out of danger, and it apparated us both here. And I assure you, that was only a very small fraction of it's ability."

Katlin paused for a moment before posing her next question. "What does it want?"

"To live. To exist." 

Katlin stared at him for a moment. "What does it do to it's 'host'?"

Orion sighed as he turned to the floor. "I told you that."

"If you use it......," she said softly as she recalled his words, "...it will drive you insane."

"Possibly. Keep in mind that my grandfather used it almost constantly." Orion replied, still staring at the ground before him. "I rarely use it. And only when I have to."

"How?" She asked quietly. "How do you use it?"

"I found out early on it needs something to feed off of. Fear. Anger. Excitement. It seems to be the emotion that calls it. And the more powerful the emotion, the more powerful it is. In the car, I used my own fear to tap into the 'Power'. I used yours in the hope it would latch onto it and apparate us as one."

Katlin drew back with a soft gasp. "This thing has touched me? Touched my child?"

Orion didn't look at her. "I don't know." He answered in a whisper.

"And yet you did this anyway?"

"What was my choice?" He asked.

Katlin started to answer, but then stopped. He hadn't had one really. Not one even she would have questioned his choice in.

"You have to understand." He said softly. "This 'Power' wants to live, Katlin. That's all. And it has always protected me."

"It's protecting itself." She fired back.

"No. It could always go to Sirius in the event of my death." Orion turned back to her. "I never want that to happen to my little brother. I never want him to have to feel this thing inside of him. I'll do whatever I have to to keep him safe from it."

"You say this thing is your great protector, and yet you talk about it like it is some evil."

"For good or ill, Katlin, it is a part of me. I am the one it chose to manifest itself in. Not Sirius."

"Maybe he was a little too 'good' for it."

"Maybe. Maybe it sensed a darker side to me than my brother. Maybe it's because I was born first. I don't know."

A sudden thought crossed Katlin's expression. "The car accident." She asked carefully. "That....that wasn't this...this 'Power'...was it? Trying to harm you?"

Orion laughed softly as he looked about the foyer, his focus finally settling on the door to the garage. A frown settled across his face. "No. I told you, the 'Power' has never tried to harm me. If anything, it does everything it can to keep me safe. Sometimes I think I drive it a little crazy myself, taking some of the risks I do. No, this was something far more sinister, I think."

"For instance?" Katlin asked.

"I had that car looked at just a month ago." Orion said. "They said it was fine. And I had spells on it to make sure that I would know if something weren't right with the car. But when I tried to slow the car down, the brakes had failed completely. And yet they were fine just before we left the village. It wasn't something that happened over time. It was almost instantaneous."

"Could someone have countered your spells?" Katlin asked. "Done something to the car to make the brakes go out just when they wanted them to?"

Orion frowned. "It's possible. But it had to have been someone who has been doing an awful lot of homework."

"Meaning?"

"This person, whoever they are, had to know about the spells to begin with. Then they had to have known that we were going on this trip."

"Well, who did you tell then?"

Orion's frown deepened as he sat in silence for several seconds, staring blankly ahead of him. "I only told one person." He said finally.

Katlin watched him carefully. "Who?"

Orion turned slowly to her. "Charly."

Katlin drew back slightly. "Orion, he's your partner. Why in magic's name would he try to kill you? That makes no sense."

"He might have told someone else." Orion replied. "Even just in passing. The point is, someone else did find out. Or it may have been a case of someone tailing us just looking for opportunity. Which I think is a much more likely scenario than Charly suddenly deciding to end our partnership."

"Well, I would suggest you find out." Katlin pointed out with a touch of venom in her voice. "Because the life of your child might just depend on your discovering exactly where your partner's loyalties lie."

****

Q&A 

Next time, folks. I'm still working on the time issue. Bear with me.

And remember;

Age is just a number...and mine is unlisted. 


	32. Chapter Twentyfour: Bo

****

Chapter Twenty-Four: Bo

A/N: First off, a 'Mom' update. My mother is doing very well. She just 'loves' her walker.

I mentioned to her she might as well get use to it, because one day she would have one permanently.

I believe I am now permanently out of the will.

Next, if this reads a little disjointed, folks, believe me, there's a reason for it. I realized I didn't post last week, and I really scrambled to get this together for posting. Sadly, it isn't as good as I would have liked. But you had your choice. Perfection, or posting.

I thought you would choose posting. 

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Though the story, plot, and characters therein are mine, the setting for this story is so plagiarized it isn't even funny. Everything that is related to the Harry Potter series is the express property of JK 'Now let me see....who does everybody REALLY like that I can kill off next?' Rowling and her 'There has to be a way to put a stop to these fanfiction sites' publishers.

Katlin stood staring out the window of the foyer , absently fingering her pendant as she watched a small squirrel run across the drive. But her mind was on anything but what she was seeing in front of her.

So much had changed in her life over the past few months she could hardly keep up with it. Which was not a very settling feeling for her. She usually had a firm grip on her life. Now she seemed to have anything but.

A few months ago, she had been Voldemort's top agent. Loyal, trusted, sure of herself.

In the space of a few months she had fallen in love, with an Auror no less, was living with him, was pregnant, and was very unsure of anything.

Tomorrow simply held no guarantees anymore.

But she was happy.

That was the truly strange part of it all for her. Despite everything, despite how crazy her life had become, despite how guilty she felt over hiding all of this from the one person she rarely hid anything from..., she was happy.

Katlin shook her head with a small smile. Turning around, she slowly looked about the foyer she was standing in.

Orion had already left for work that morning, leaving her with a small kiss on the cheek as she still lay in bed, apologizing for having to leave so early and promising to try and leave work early as well.

She had mumbled some sort of response stating she wouldn't wait up.

Katlin found living with Orion a good deal different than just being his occasional bed partner. For one, promises he would be home early were rarely kept. Second was that, now that she was there all the time, she had started to realize just how much he wasn't. While her 'job' was sporadic at best, his was even less of a steady nine to five routine. Most mornings she woke up to find him already gone. And more often than not with an overly eager Tets waiting patiently to see if there was anything he could get for her.

At night, he occasionally got home at five. But more often he would come home quite late, full of apologies and some interesting ways to make up for leaving her so long on her own.

But, of course, she had her share of early mornings and late nights. She just wished their's would coincide more often. Usually they seemed to be at complete opposite ends of the scales.

And then there was the fact that Orion seemed to simply love just showering her with gifts. Something that tended to make Katlin a bit uncomfortable. She had never had anyone in her life simply enjoy giving her things just for the sake of it, with the exception of presents she had gotten from time to time from Voldemort. 

But with Orion it was more like a daily occurrence. He hardly ever came home that he didn't have something to give her. Soon she had scores of bracelets, earrings, and a closet full of dresses, his favorite present. Mostly because a dress was usually connected with going out somewhere to show it off. Or her, depending on how she looked at it. But every time they went somewhere, she couldn't help feeling just a bit like she was something that Orion dressed up and then displayed on his arm for the evening. But it seemed to make him happy, and so she let it go and tried her best to set aside her own feelings on public displays.

The only present she swore him off of was necklaces. Holding her pendent up to him, she firmly swore it was the only one she would ever wear, and buying her any others would, therefore, just be a waste of time and money and a good present.

But her biggest problem always seemed to focus back on what to do with herself during the hours of the day when Orion wasn't there and there were no assignments for her from Voldemort. So she had taken to exploring the house as a way to pass the time.

She soon found that just wandering about the rooms was a great way to kill a few hours. And when that became boring, she would settle herself in the library, or go for a walk about the grounds. 

All in all, she was given full use of the house. 

With exactly one exception.

For whatever his reasons, Orion had strictly forbidden her to go anywhere near the cellar of the house again. But one run in with Bo was all Katlin had needed for a very long time. She was none to eager to repeat the experience. And knowing what she did about the boggart now made her simply that much more uneasy around him. But since Orion had given her complete freedom in everything else, coupled with her own feelings on the matter, Katlin felt the one restriction he had placed on her wasn't that hard to follow.

Katlin had just started out of the foyer when a sudden knock at the door stopped her. There were rarely ever any visitors to the mansion, Orion had told her. And those that did come usually only came at night. 

But this person, or persons, whoever they were, had come close to mid-day, so Katlin was a bit curious who it was. 

Walking back across the foyer, Katlin opened the door, ready to greet whoever it was. But when she opened the door, she found herself facing an empty doorway.

Stepping out over the threshold, Katlin peered around the corner of the door.

As soon as she did, a hand reached out and seized hold of her pendent. A second hand reached out and grabbed her by the shoulder, shoving her backwards with a solid thrust.

"Traitor!" Katlin heard the word yelled at her before she had any chance to identify her attacker.

Katlin stumbled backwards, the hand still wrapped tightly around her pendant.

She was sure she was going to hit the floor on her back. But her attacker never relinquished his hold on the small silver chain that Orion had put a charm on to keep it from breaking. The original idea had been so she wouldn't lose it. But never did she imagine that the charm would serve such another vital purpose. It help her remain on her feet. Had she hit the floor she would have been at a severe disadvantage. But as she regained her balance she managed to wretch the small pendent out of the person's grip and pull back to face her attacker.

For a few seconds, Katlin stood in stunned silence. Facing her, looking angrier than Katlin had ever seen him, was Johnathan Treaks. Behind him stood three other Deatheaters, who had obviously help him force his way into the house, as that the shove had pushed her nearly halfway across the foyer. But Katlin quickly gathered her wits about her as she turned an equally angry, if not utterly stunned, look at the four men.

"What are you talking about!?" She demanded angrily. "You have no right to make such a pronouncement on me! Only our dark lord has the right to brand one of us so!"

"As he will." Johnathan shot back at her, his wand now drawn and pointed at her. "When I present him with the evidence against you."

"Evidence?" Katlin shouted. "What evidence? You have played this game before Johnathan, and it is getting tiresome."

Johnathan laughed at her. "Are you quite serious?" He asked. "Look at you. You've been seeing the Auror for months."

"And Lord Voldemort is well aware of the reasons why I am engaging in this action."

"Is he also aware that you are living with the Auror as well?"

Katlin opened her mouth, but quickly shut it. She wasn't sure if Voldemort knew or not. And if he did, she was prepared to answer with a very well constructed story. What she was not prepared for was Johnathan having found out.

"I thought not." Johnathan stated as a smile crept over his lips. "So tell me, Auror whore, what did the man offer you to make you turn your back on your own people?"

"I am no Auror's whore." Katlin fired back. "And I have not betrayed my people. Nothing would make me do that."

But Johnathan was looking about the surrounding of the foyer. "This is considerably different from what you're used to, isn't it? A large mansion to live in. Probably all the trappings that go with it." Johnathan turned back to her. "Tell me, does he treat you like something he bought?" He asked with a well pronounced sneer. "Or something he just picked up?"

Katlin hardened her stare as she fought to keep her emotions under control. "You have no idea what is going on here, Johnathan." She stated. "You are letting your emotions get the better of you, again, and in doing so you are jeopardizing months of my hard work. Know well that I will report your interference to Lord Volde....."

A hard slap knocked Katlin off her feet.

"You presume to threaten me, whore!?" Johnathan roared at her. "You have no place to speak here any further. The only words required of you are as you offer your explanation before Lord Voldemort, should he even deem you worthy of his time to hear such lies."

Katlin's sole thought was to get off the floor. To not be at the disadvantage. But the blow had disoriented her and before she could even pull herself to a sitting position she found herself yanked to her feet by two strong pairs of hands. A solid arm lock was wrapped about her arms, holding her still as she was turned back to face Johnathan.

"Or perhaps I should just save our dark lord the trouble of dealing with you and take care of the traitor myself." He said past a purely sadistic smile. "After all, that is the authority of the Elite, is it not, my Love? To deal with traitors?"

A cold fear seized hold of Katlin. What Johnathan had said was very true. Elite were allowed to deal with traitors among the lower ranks. But Voldemort had never said anything about their own.

"Lord Voldemort is the only one allowed to administer such a punishment among the Elite." She replied, trying to plot out a strategy that would keep her alive. "I very much doubt it will go well for you if you try taking such an action without his knowledge."

Johnathan walked over to her and wrapped his fingers tightly about her jaw as he turned her to face him. "Concern for me, my Sweet?" He laughed softly. "That is so touching. Far more affection than you have shown these last few months."

'So that was it?' Katlin questioned. 'He was jealous?' Well, that was something to work with.

"The least you could do is hear me out." Katlin said quietly. "Because you are about to make a horrible mistake, Johnathan."

"Really?"

"Lord Voldemort knows I am seeing the Auror. It is a mission. Surely you understand that?" Katlin gave him a small smile. "There is nothing between me and the Auror."

Johnathan sneered back at her. "How often?"

Katlin's expression froze at the comment. "I do what I have to to complete my mission."

"Including living with him?"

"It is the natural progression of a relationship, Johnathan. If I had refused he would have become suspicious."

"And then what? You marry him when he asks so he won't become suspicious?"

Katlin fixed her stare on the man before her. "Don't be a fool. I expect to be done with him long before the situation comes to that. But everything I have worked for you have now jeopardized. But if you leave now, I can likely still salvage something of the situation. He is likely going to be arriving soon, Johnathan. He has alarms set all about the estate. He'll know you are here."

Johnathan's eyes quickly scanned the area around them, then connected just as rapidly with each of the men with him. Without the slightest hint of any cue being given, Katlin felt the restrains on her arms released as the men backed quickly away from her and went to rejoin the others.

"Perhaps you're right..." Johnathan replied as he lowered his wand.

But something in what was happening caught Katlin's attention. The other two had moved away far too quickly. 

It wasn't just releasing her. 

It was getting out of the way.

Katlin looked back up just in time to see Johnathan raise his wand. The spell hit just under her chest, pouring a numbing pain through her body.

"...I have been a fool." He continued as she collapsed to the floor.

Katlin could hear the footsteps approach her. But through the haze of pain that wracked its way still through her brain, all she could see around her was a grey haze. Very slowly she fought to get a hand into her robes. She had to get her wand.

A strong, solid kick to the side forced her over and another hand quickly began rummaging through her robes. Katlin could almost feel the alien hand seize hold of her wand and take it away from her. It was like having a physical part of her torn away. But before she could even begin to think what to do next another shot of pain coursed through her body, nearly stealing consciousness from her. But that was the last thing she could let happen. If she did, it was the end. She didn't have her wand, but she could still talk.

"Johnathan!" She cried out as loudly as she could, but even to her it sound barely above a whisper. "What are you doing!? Voldemort will kill you for this!"

Katlin could hear the voice next to her ear as she tried to pull herself back up. "For what? That you were found dead in the house of an Auror? Why would he question me about such an unfortunate event?"

Katlin felt another wave of pain tear through her body. 

This time she screamed. 

As she collapsed back to the floor, Katlin suddenly hear a noise behind her. The sound was like someone throwing a door open forcefully enough to take it off its hinges. Not knowing what was going on around her, Katlin forced herself into action. turning herself about she headed as quickly as she could on her hands and knees to the wall behind her. She needed something to guard her back. Where she was was far too exposed. Putting the wall to her back gave her one less front of attack to worry about. 

As soon as she reached the wall, Katlin put her back to it, using it to help her gain at least a sitting position. 

But the sight that greeted her caused her to stop abruptly. 

In the center of the foyer Johnathan still stood with the other three men. But directly in the middle of them a large, star shaped object had begun to emerge from the floor directly at their feet. All four of the men jumped back from the rising structure, which suddenly shot up to form four walls, all connected in the middle and successfully cutting each of the men off from the others.

Katlin stared at the structure in amazement.

The walls quickly extended so that they each reached to the walls of the foyer and stood no less then fifteen feet in height. If each of the chambers resembled the one Katlin was now facing, they each resembled a stone cell. From one of the cells she could hear someone frantically rattling a door handle, with little success, while another was pounding on a glass window with the same results. Apparently there was no possible way for the men to escape.

In the chamber before her stood Johnathan Treaks, looking as confused and frightened as she had ever seen him. But it was understandable to her as well. Nothing disoriented or frightened a Deatheater more than being cut off from the ones you had planned an attack with.

Treaks looked about the walled cell before turning back to face Katlin, his expression now a mask of anger and hatred.

"Traitor!" He screamed at her again. "You'll pay for this. You won't get...."

A new barrier suddenly shot up from the floor, cutting quickly between Johnathan and Katlin, and abruptly ending the man's statement. 

Katlin stared at the newly erected wall in stunned silence. Orion had never mentioned anything like this to her. He had told her the house had a defense system. But she never imagined anything like this. The only thing he had ever mention to her about the house's defense's, in fact, had been.......

Katlin's eyes suddenly widened and her jaw dropped as she stared anew at the stone barrier.

Bo.

Katlin shook her head. Surely the boggart hadn't been able to accomplish such a thing.

But then, Orion had explained the boggart wasn't the 'run-of-the-mill'. And the acts so far could easily be attributed to those a boggart would make. He had systematically separated the Deatheaters from each other. And that alone would be their greatest fear under the circumstances. In an unfamiliar situation, to be completely alone.

Katlin nearly jumped as the first scream rented the air. It sounded as though it came from the far side of the foyer. From the cell that would be nearest the door. As Katlin listened, the scream died down enough that she could again hear someone struggling with the door handle again. Again the scream, and the sound this time of a body hitting a wall. Abruptly the sound of a door being thrown open with enough force to unhinge it tore through the foyer. After a few seconds the echoes of running feet were heard as they sped across the tile floor of the foyer.

Then silence.

But abruptly the eerie silence was broken by the sound of sliding stone. Something was happening behind the barrier that she couldn't see or even imagine. But it sounded as though one of the barrier's was moving somehow. Sliding slowly across the floor.

The next sound she heard was a angry growl, followed quickly by a soft, whining cry. Again the feet ran across the tile and again the eerie silence settled in.

And once more the silence was broken by the sound of the scrapping of stone across the tile floor.

The third cue to her something was happening wasn't a sound at all, but a feeling. The air in the foyer had suddenly grown very cold. From the opposite side of the foyer Katlin could barely hear the sound of a rattled, haggard breathing. Abruptly cries begging for help were heard and shortly the sound of someone running and then the door slamming shut.

Katlin listened to the sound of the stones moving again. By her count, this left only one Deatheater in the house.

She sat silently listening. But for a short while nothing seemed to happen. But as abruptly as the other sounds had started, Katlin heard the word 'Traitor' echo through the foyer. But the voice wasn't Johnathan's, or any of the others. But it was a voice she knew well enough, having heard it nearly every day since she was fifteen.

"Traitor." The voice shouted again.

Another voice quickly spoke up. And even though she knew this one as well, it sounded very unlike itself. It was Johnathan's voice. But it was pleading now, trying to explain something she couldn't quite make out as that the words were low and spoken in rapid succession. But abruptly they were cut off as a door opened and then slammed shut again.

As soon as the door slammed shut, the stone barriers almost immediately slid back down and disappeared into the floor much as they had appeared, simply in reverse. 

In the end, all that remained in the middle of the foyer was the somehow tidy array of black robes, which stood facing her, but making no move towards her.

A small popping sound within the foyer nearly unhinged her nerves as Katlin jumped at the sound. But the first thing she registered immediately calmed her frazzled nerves.

"Bo!" Orion stated sharply, looking quickly about the foyer. "What's going on? Why have the alarms....." But his questions stopped abruptly as his gaze fell on Katlin, still huddled protectively against the far wall of the foyer.

"Katlin!?" He cried, rushing towards her. 

Two comforting, strong arms quickly wrapped themselves about her as she buried herself as deeply in their security as she could. A flood of questions filled her ears, but she hardly registered one of them as she simply clung tightly to him, holding on for dear life as she let her body relax in Orion's embrace. 

Katlin continued to ignore Orion's frantic questions as she cautiously peeked out from his arms, her gaze quickly settling on the mass of black robes still standing perfectly still in the middle of the foyer.

Orion turned his attention to follow her gaze. 

Instantly Katlin felt the arms around her tighten slightly as Orion's attention focused on the boggart.

"Bo, what's going on here?" He asked the black robed figure. To Katlin the tone of his voice was just hinging on anger.

As Katlin watched, the creature suddenly erupted into a series of movements and gestures, all of which, although pointless to her, seemed to mean a great deal to Orion as she felt the hold on her loosen slightly.

"Deatheaters?!" He asked, his tone a good deal lower now. "What were Deatheaters doing in my house?!"

But before the creature could answer, Katlin found her voice again. "Johnathan." she said weakly. "It was Johnathan."

"Treaks?" Orion asked, turning abruptly back to the standing black robes. "Bo, where are these Deatheaters?"

The boggart stood for a moment, as though unsure of what to say, then slowly raised a black robed arm and pointed to the front door.

Even Katlin understood the gesture. "They're gone?" She asked.

The boggart paused again, this time slowly turning to face her, then slowly nodded. Katlin wasn't sure what she expected to see for the creature's face, but the hood of its robes hid any sign of it from sight.

A pleased smile suddenly lit Orion's face. "Bo? Did you scare them off?"

The boggart seemed to react immediately to his tone. Without hesitation this time, turning back to Orion, he quickly nodded.

"All of them?" Orion asked him.

Bo nodded more enthusiastically.

"Very good, Bo." Orion replied, hugging Katlin a little closer to him. "I'm very pleased. You did very well."

A soft thrilling came from under the robes. Like a cat purring as you stroked it.

Orion carefully turned Katlin back to him. "Are you all right?" He asked. "And the baby?"

"We're both fine." Katlin answered. "They didn't have much of a chance to do anything." 

"How did Treaks even get into the house?" He asked her. "I have wards set up to prevent anyone from getting into this house uninvited but you and me and my family."

"It was my fault he got in." Katlin explained as Bo continued to stand before them, still thrilling under his robes. "He had been following me around lately. I thought I had....explain to him....that this was an assignment and that he was jeopardizing it. I thought he would leave us alone after that. But he....had come with others. And he....he got a hold of my pendent. Either by design or plain luck. The others helped him shove their way in, so they all must have been in contact with one another. Apparently, as long as one of them was touching the pendent, they could all get through the wards."

Bo was practically bouncing on the floor now.

Orion watched his boggart look like it was ready to explode from pride. Sighing to himself, he nodded to Bo.

"You did very well, Bo."

A soft vibrating thrill came from beneath the hood.

"All right then." Orion stated, waving towards the cellar door. "Off you go."

The boggart paused for a moment, then turned back to the door and quickly headed for it with a now noticeably bouncy gait.

Orion spent most of the rest of that evening after dinner setting up extra wards around the house. 

All the while Bo patiently followed him around the house, never more than a few feet from his heels. But for the most part Orion hardly seemed to even acknowledge the boggart's presence except with the odd comment from time to time about his needing to guard some entrance with extra care.

Finally, as Katlin sat in the front room before a glowing fire with a cup of tea in her still shaking hands, Orion entered with a soft whisper of material behind him as Bo dutifully followed him into the room.

"All right." Orion sighed as he collapsed on the sofa next to her. "I'd like to see Voldemort himself get into this house now."

Instantly the black robes dissolved and a very good likeness of Voldemort stood before Orion, outlined eerily by the glow of the fire. The figure raised its arms in a threatening gesture, emitting a loud groan.

"Hysterical." Orion stated in a bored tone. "Now off you go."

The figure quickly produced a wand and waved it about, pointing it at Orion.

"Now you're just going to put someone's eye out with that thing." He chastised the figure.

The boggart paused, then the figure before them shifted and immediately a small, black-haired child appeared in its place. The boy quickly whipped the wand behind his back, presumably out of sight .

As if on cue, Orion suddenly let out a small, shrill cry and cowered back on the sofa.

"No! No!" He cried in mock fear. "It's horrible! Take it away! Take it away!"

The child grinned at him, then abruptly vanished.

Through the whole display, Katlin watched with wide-eyed interest. But when the boggart finally vanished, she turned her attention back to Orion.

"If you're afraid of children, I have bad news for you." She informed him, sipping at her tea.

Orion settled back into the sofa, wrapping her in his arms. "Not all children." He told her. "Just that one."

"That one?"

"That," Orion told her, indicating where the figure had been standing just moments before, "was a perfect impersonation of my brother when he was about six. Enough to scare any older brother, trust me."

"Oh honestly." Katlin chastised him. "He's your little brother."

"And a worse trouble-maker the world will never know." Orion sighed. "Always getting into something. He and that Potter friend of his. If those two couldn't find trouble, they just went out and made it."

"Oh!" Katlin stated skeptically. "And you and Charly Misser were angels?"

"Perfect ones if ever there were." Orion studied her for a second. "Are you sure you're all right?" He asked. "They didn't hurt you or the baby?"

"One of them got off a lucky hex, that's all." Katlin admitted with a slight touch of embarrassment. "That....that creature...."

"Bo." Orion corrected her. 

"Bo......must have realized I was in danger then and.....I guess....came to my defense." Katlin finished slowly as realization dawned on her about what had really happened.

"Well, I'll have to think up some really good reward for him." Orion stated absentmindedly. "Maybe I'll let him go out on Halloween. He just loves that." 

Katlin awoke with a sudden start. She had been dreaming about being in a large, white room, surrounded by black robed figures, all holding wands that were pointed at her.

Looking about quickly, Katlin suddenly realized she was in bed. Next to her Orion was peacefully sleeping.

The last thing she remembered was being on the sofa. 

Shaking her head, Katlin pulled carefully out from under the comforter. She must have fallen asleep and Orion had put her to bed. 

Getting to her feet, she quietly padded her way across floor and out into the hallway. A glass of nice warm milk was what she needed to help her get back to sleep.

At the base of the stairs, Katlin started to make her way across the foyer when a sudden idea struck her. Slowly she turned about until she was now facing the door to the cellar.

Katlin stood staring at the door for a very long time. She couldn't deny she was genuinely curious about the creature Orion kept in his cellar. It was almost unfathomable to her that something that was as powerful as Orion had alluded to, was locked in the body of such a simple, single-minded creature. 

Did the creature even understand what it was? Was the childishness that it presented just some front that it presented? Did it understand it's actions that day? What it was really confronting? Or was it all just some game to it?

Katlin slowly made her way over to the cellar door and carefully wrapped her hand about it. With painful slowness she turned the handle, not sure of what to expect when she opened the door.

But when the door finally was opened, all that greeted her was a blanket of darkness. Only the first few steps of a flight of stairs could be seen from the dim moonlight filtering into the foyer. 

Katlin slowly made her way down the stairs of the cellar. It was so dark, the only way she knew she had reached the bottom was that the stairs ended and she felt she was on level ground. Unsure what the set up of the cellar was, Katlin stayed at the base of the stairs, peering into the darkness, desperately trying to see something.

"Hello?" She finally called, feeling a bit stupid, but not knowing what else to do.

But as stupid as the inquiry seemed, it got results. Almost immediately a small light glowed in an area just a short distance in front of her. It slowly expanded, then suddenly erupted in a small flash of light. In the aftermath stood the now familiar cascade of black material.

"So...., you're Bo?" Katlin asked.

The figure didn't appear to so much as breath as it stood stone-still in front of her.

"Can you understand me?" She asked him. Maybe the boggart only understood Orion. Or would only speak to him.

But the boggart suddenly nodded.

Katlin smiled at her progress. The creature hardly seemed frightening to her at all, standing there talking to him. But even so, she still kept several yards distance between them. 

"Do you remember the men you chased out of the house?" Katlin asked.

The boggart seemed to consider the question for a moment, then nodded.

"Bo..., do you know why they were here?" Katlin asked slowly. She wasn't sure if the creature understood 'Deatheaters', and she wasn't sure she wanted to know. Nor was she sure if the creature understood the men's intentions or not. Or if he was just doing what he had been told to do. Someone was in the house who was not suppose to be there. His job was to get rid of them. 

But the boggart suddenly raised his arms, making a gesture with his cloak covered hands that left no doubt that he understood the men's intentions all too well.

"They were going to kill me, Bo." Katlin confirmed. "And they would have, if you hadn't stopped them."

The boggart again stood stone-still in front of her.

Katlin gave the creature a small smile. "I wanted to tell you.......thank you. For saving my life. Do you understand that?"

The boggart suddenly emitted a small trilling noise from under its hood.

Katlin studied the creature for a few seconds as it stood before her. "What is that?" She asked it, peering a bit closer at it, listening to the sound.

"It means he's happy." A soft voice answered behind her.

Katlin nearly jumped straight into the air. Abruptly she spun about to face Orion.

"Don't do that!" She stated in a firm but breathless voice. "You nearly scared the life out of me!"

"You shouldn't even be down here." Orion stated. "Bo might have mistaken you as an intruder."

"Well, he seems relatively harmless now."

"And 'harmless' is a relative term." Orion informed her, holding his hand out to her. "Come with me, please."

Katlin paused for a moment, staring at the man before her. But she slowly turned back to the boggart behind her. The trilling hadn't stopped, which Orion had said meant the creature was happy. But Orion's actions to her were definitely cautious. All he wanted was to get her out of the cellar. 

Slowly Katlin backed away from the creature. It belonged to Orion, and he knew it best. Perhaps the action was a way of making sure she would get out of the cellar safely. To make sure the boggart wouldn't attack her for some reason.

"Is he dangerous?" Katlin asked as soon as they got out of the cellar.

Orion turned back to her. "Who? Bo?"

"Who else?"

Orion shrugged at the question. "I suppose it would depend on your definition of the word 'dangerous'."

"I'm sure Johnathan and the others have a very clear definition of that word concerning your boggart."

"How so?"  
"He out-rightly attacked them."

"Of course. That's what he does. That's his job. And one I assure you he takes very seriously."

"He hardly acts like much of a boggart." Katlin observed.

"You'd be surprised." Orion replied. "It's one of the reasons I've tried to warn you away from him. He's little more than a big, silly child sometimes....most of the time." He quickly amended with a second thought. "But if you're not use to him, he can get.....carried away."

"Like in the cellar the last time?" Katlin asked.

"Exactly like that." Orion told her. "But even there, he didn't mean any real harm. It was....a game to him." Orion gave her a small smile. "He just loves to play."

"But he's a boggart!" Katlin stated. "You...you talk about him like he's....a pet."

"More like a part of the family." Orion answered her. "And I told you, Bo isn't your ordinary boggart. In fact, he's so good at what he does, he's the main defense I employ for the house. I really don't feel I need much more than him."

"Will he ever hurt me?"

"Why should he?"

"Because......because of....what I am. What if he finds out that I'm......?"

"A Deatheater? It won't make a bit of difference to him."

Katlin turned to him in surprise. "Why not?"

"Because to Bo there are two kinds of people in the world. Those that belong in this house, and those that don't. He really doesn't distinguish much past that. Unless its those he likes and those he doesn't."

"And what happens if one day I end up on the 'doesn't' list?"

"Well, he likes you now, and he rarely makes changes, Love. Besides, I've never known Bo to maliciously hurt anyone. I honestly don't think he knows how."

"What about Johnathan and the others?"

"Did he hurt any of them? No. He chased them off. But he didn't hurt them."

"Then what was that routine in the cellar? You acted like you thought at any moment he was going to attack me."

Orion seemed to think over the question for a moment. "Oh!' He stated suddenly as though just remembering what she was talking about. "That. No, you misunderstood that, Love." Orion explained. "That was simply to show Bo that.....you're special to me. You're not a.......casual acquaintance I didn't care if he scared or not."

Katlin's expression shifted just the slightest bit. But the look was one of unmistakable annoyance. "I see." She said, a tinge of her expression in her tone. "And have some of the other 'casual acquaintances' gone into the cellar?"

"Very few that I ever knew of. And if they did, they became even more casual, as that they rarely came back."

Orion barely suppressed a small smile as Katlin walked off towards the kitchen. Nothing said 'I love you' quite like jealousy.

****

Q&A

Silverfox: I'm glad you like Bo, Dear. He's going to be a long standing character. But trust me, you haven't seen the half of Orion's enigmatic boggart.

Ummmm, why should the situation be easier for Katlin to explain off than Orion? I would think Orion can explain things to his boss a lot easier than Katlin can to her's. I mean, how many ways could Voldemort misinterpret 'I'm pregnant'?

Actually, just for your continued amusement, Orion's boss finding out about Katlin is a chapter, and it is written. Coming to a computer screen near you....sometime in the future.

Oddly, I think the LAST person to be left at the end of all this is Harry. Rowling is way to adamant there will only be seven books. Makes me a bit suspicious how this is all going to end.

I do not think Snape will bite it in the end for several reasons. The biggest being he is so obvious a target. And Rowling does not seem to aim at obvious targets.

So glad you like soft and fluffy.

The child of an Auror and a Deatheater could well have and cause problems. But past that, look at what its lineage would be. The child is not only the offspring of a powerful witch in her own right, but potentially would play host to the 'Power'. So back to what Charly said, yes, Voldemort would be extremely interested in such a child.

Klondike bar = Ice Cream sandwich (sort of). Actually, its a square of ice cream surrounded by a chocolate shell.

Charly is most definitely not expecting help from Treaks. Nor is he just randomly sharing information with the Deatheater. Treaks and Charly are working together on a 'project'. The main problem being they both want very different outcomes for it. Charly is in it to save his partner's life. The 'how and why too's' of which, though sketchy, are there. Treaks' reasons, though a bit vague as yet, have also been mentioned.

Yes, Treaks' reaction was a bit predictable. But that kind of lays out the difference of opinion in their end goals. Again, Charly is trying to save his partner's life. Treaks couldn't care less.

And don't underestimate old Charly. Not the brightest crayon in the box? Don't bet on it.

Oh dear. Who is Bo? There's a good question. And it's going to take more time than I have currently to answer that. Give me a week. I'll come back to it then. I just don't want to give you a half-baked answer on something that is really a large part of this story.

Orion isn't really suspicious of Charly. Nor is he anywhere near questioning him on anything. Charly is still his partner and his best friend, and Orion trusts him.

Semmel: Thank you for the good wishes, Dear.

Your grandpa. My father. Same difference. Dad would rather do an operation on himself than go see a doctor.

Yes, dear. It was a 'bear'.

And that was definitely no 'ordinary' dragon.

Only one other person knows about the 'Black family curse', but he has yet to enter the story. That person is the one time best friend of Orion's father, Talon Black. The man's name is Hershal Beckett.

Oh yes, Dear. Voldemort would be very keen on that baby.

You asked very good questions, Dear. Problem is I am getting a bit of a headache trying to think of the answers, since this is all a bit complicated. But I'll see what I can do.

Orion has been connected to the 'Power' ever since he worked the spell that allowed him to become its new host. However, the 'Power' never manifested itself in its host. The relationship was symbiotic at best. The 'Power' relied on the ambition of its host for its existence. If the host didn't use it, it didn't have much of a life. When Sirius was born, the 'Power' was forced to divided itself. That, in part, was what allowed Orion's father to forced the 'Power' into the boggart. Currently, the 'Power' does not reside in Orion, it resides in the boggart. But it relies on the intelligence of its host to be anything at all. So how can it be much of a danger when its trapped in basically the mind of a very simple creature?

How does Bo react to the tapping in? He enjoys it. The 'Power' likes to be used. That is how it 'feels' its existence. Never being used to it is the equivalence of being locked in a box.

Charly understands there are potential problems to allying himself with Treaks. But he didn't choose the relationship. The wizard in the north put the two together. A smart move on his part, since it gave him a member of the team from each of the two opposing camps.

And everyone's being so hard on poor Charly. Did we learn nothing from the 'Aaron Richards' incident? Honestly!

How likely is a Deatheater to keep his word? Kinda depends what's in it for him. For Treaks, it's what he loves most. 

Sailor Sol: Yes, Mom's operation went very well. Her doctor said she was an excellent candidate for this surgery. When they got the joint out, they said there was no cartilage left at all. So it was a 'no option left' choice.

Charly has indeed planted a little seed in Orion's thought process. Whether or not it grows has yet to be seen. But his points are indeed very valid.

They gave you sugar AND let you go trick-or-treating? Silly people.

Holidays are not good for updating I have found. Although a slew of updates seem to hit right around Christmas.

I'm glad you like the bits between Orion and Sirius. Unfortunately, 'hintings' are all you see in this story. Sirius does not enter into it as a main character.

Dear, we are all getting older. *sigh.* Sad, but true.

Thanks for bearing with me, dear. I appreciate it.

Sweets: Thank you, Dear. Mom needs all the prayers she can get. Recovery is less fun than the operation.

I understand the compressed time issue, believe me.

You have yet to see Orion's temper.

Personally, I would like to think somewhere in the world the man has a portrait, but I'm almost sure Rowling would say his family destroyed all of them. I still hold out hope for the mirror. It wasn't inserted into the story by accident, I think. As that it got more than just a passing notation, it must surely be of some importance later on.

You will definitely be hearing more about the 'Power' in this story as well as in other story arcs. If Orion is in the story, Bo can't be far behind.

Skahducky: Actually, it's not a matter of preference.

But Dear, if I didn't keep bringing new things into the story, it would have stagnated ages ago.

Indeed, Charly and Treaks are on opposite sides, but working together. Though their ultimate goal seems a bit in question.

Oh, yes, this will all come together in the end.

Eva Phoenix Potter: Oh! You're one of.....those!

Pfffft. Who am I kidding? So am I.

All reviews are as of 11162003.

And remember;

A cheap thrill is still a thrill.


	33. Chapter TwentyFive: Potential

A/N: Man, life is complicated. I can't tell you what I would give to have a nice, calm, peaceful few months. As it is, you were lucky to get this chapter tonight.

Let me tell you about my life recently.

As you know, Par is a good, catholic girl. 

HEY! No snickering in the back row!

Anyway, at my church, we recently went through a very rough time when our beloved pastor was taken and moved to another parish and we got a new priest. To say I was a little unhappy was an understatement. I loved this priest a great deal. He had been at our parish for over a decade.

Well, next thing I know, my mother and I are being booted out of the place we have sat for years in church because some fool decided to move the choir out of the choir loft and down with the congregation. They then tore out the alter of the patron saint of our church to make room for this move.

Basically, a lot of changes in a very short amount of time.

Then, just when we thought things were settling down, we got word that our assistant pastor was transferred as well. He will be leaving us the end of November.

Trust me folks, you want to really get peoples backs up? Mess with their religious stability. It tends to upset them.

Anyway, that's my little rant for this week.

And I would just like to take a moment to make a comment on something that for some reason people are missing. This was originally part of Silverfox's answer, but I decided to included it here for the general populace, (despite the fact for a reason that still eludes me to this day, you people seem to enjoy reading all of the Q&A's). But just so it isn't missed, allow me to say this; folks, yes, Bo is a tremendous amount of fun. I enjoy working with him, putting him in stories, and if he's there, you can almost be sure it's just for fun. However, keep in mind just what Bo really is. He is the source of a power that nothing in the wizarding world (or muggle, for that matter,), can match. He is a frightening potential for use, good or evil. One of the main reasons Orion and his father never 'used' Bo was simply because they weren't sure exactly what the outcome might be if they did, aside form the fact The Power drove it's hosts insane if they overused it. Now, yes, in this story Orion does 'tap into' The Power. But even there, keep in mind, you aren't seeing, as Orion said, 'even a small fraction' of what he can do.

So what does that all boil down to? Just this. Whereas Bo is a great deal of fun, is rather simplistic in nature, and appears to somewhat harmless, he is ultimately one boggart you do not want to get pissed off. Just remember that. 

Oh, and yes, there is an inside joke with the title of this chapter which has nothing whatsoever to so with the contents of the chapter itself.

And if you want someone to blame for this being late, go to Sweets, who told me where to find the POA trailer.

Guess what I was doing all week instead of working on this chapter?

As always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Although this is a completely original story in and of itself, and that fact I sweated blood over it, and it caused me a few sleepless nights trying to sort it out so it made sense, the setting of said story is so plagiarized any person with an ounce of intelligence could see through it. Therefore, I am pleased to announce that while I am grateful to JK 'Who should I kill off next go round?' Rowling for not suing me, I am equally pleased her mercenary publishers haven't got a clue what I'm up to.

****

Chapter 25: Potential 

Charly stood in the doorway of Orion's office, watching as his partner sat at his desk, staring straight ahead at nothing imparticular. 

Charly was starting to hate these sessions more than anything in the world. Because each time he would find his partner this distracted, there was usually only one reason. But thinking back to his conversation with Treaks in the alley, he allowed himself a little bit of hope that the seed he had planted a few days ago had taken root.

"Oy! Black!"  
Orion looked up suddenly as Charly stepped causally into the room.

"You know, mate," Charly stated as he seated himself on the corner of the desk Orion sat at, 'I'll bet there's something you actually do not know about me."

Orion sighed quietly as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Charly, listen, if I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times, you're very nice," Orion replied, leaning back in his chair as he stared up at his partner, "but I don't date men."

Charly sat staring back at him for a moment with a completely deadpan look. "Hysterical." He said finally in a tone as flat as his expression. "And you're not my type. No, Orion, my friend, what you do not know about me is that I am, in fact, psychic."

Orion gave him a skeptical look. "Psychic?"

"Yes. And to prove it, I'm going to tell you what you're thinking about right now."

Orion settled back in his chair. "O.K.. Shoot."

"You're fluff." Charly answered without hesitation.

Orion reached over and grabbed a piece of parchment off his desk. "Amazing. Why you're wasting your time with the Department I'll never know, Charly. Really."

"So what's up?" Charly asked as Orion buried his attention in the parchment. "She finally dump you?"

Orion froze for a moment, then sighed as he leaned back in his chair, tossing the parchment back on his desk. The truth was, he wanted someone to talk to about what was running about in his mind, and who better than the person who started the thought in the first place?

"I've been thinking about what you said the other day, Charly. About where Katlin's loyalties would lie in regards to the baby."

"Really?"

"But past her loyalties, I've begun to wonder how Katlin ended up a Deatheater at all."

"She joined?" Misser put in quickly. The path wasn't the one he had set his partner on, but it might still work in his favor.

Orion shook his head. "She doesn't fit the profile, mate."

"She's a spy, an assassin, has no morals or conscience, and would tell a lie as quickly and easily as she tells the truth." Charly slapped himself in the forehead. "Why that woman isn't a nun I'll never understand. Oh! Wait! Because she's slept with half the men on earth."

Orion frowned up at the man. "I don't think Katlin picked Voldemort, Charly." He said. "I think Voldemort chose her."

Charly considered the statement for a moment. "Meaning?"

"Katlin told me that when she was a little girl she lived in a small village, and that one day a man came to her village and convinced the people there that Katlin and her family were evil magic users. He managed to turn the people of the village against Katlin and her parents, and they eventually killed her parents. But Katlin was rescued. Katlin says she never saw the man again and she has no idea who he was." Orion turned his gaze back to his partner. "I think the man who came into her village and turned those people against her family was Voldemort. And I think he did it to get Katlin."

"Then why not just take her? That would have been simpler."

"The reasons you laid out the other day. So he could mold her into what he wanted. And to do that he needed her trust. Her loyalty. And he gained those by being the one who saved her from the mob that killed her parents. He also set himself up to hand her the revenge she craved against the people who murdered her parents."

"But why her?"

"Because she was everything he needed. She was innocent, impressionable, trusting, and still young enough to be manipulated. She was a blank slate for him to write on, Charly. He could make her into anything. And because she saw him as some 'white knight' coming to her rescue, she would do anything he asked of her. You said maybe Katlin left something out of her story. Maybe what she left out, she doesn't know. What if he set the whole thing up from the start? That he manipulated the whole situation so Katlin would willingly became what he wanted."

"So," Charly said, thinking over the information just handed to him, "you think Voldemort was the man who came to Kaltin's village?"

"I think he either was the man in some disguise, Charly, or he was controlling whoever the man was."

"But you don't know for sure?"

Orion shook his head with a deep frown.  
Charly quickly grabbed onto an idea. Maybe it wasn't the original idea he had fed to his partner. But it was close enough, and it had some interesting possibilities of its own. 

"Orion!" Charly stated enthusiastically. "Come on, mate. This isn't a problem."

"No?"

"All you need to do is put some feelers out. Someone will bite on it."

"Charly, this was years ago. Even Katlin can't remember what the man looked like anymore."

"Maybe. But it sure sounds like the kind of story that makes the rounds for a while."

Orion stared back at his desk for a moment. "Maybe."

"Look," Charly said, hoping to give Orion's curiosity the little nudge it needed as he walked back over to the door, "you've got the resources, mate. All you have to do is use them."

Orion watched his partner disappear back out into the hallway. Charly was right. The story was the type people likely talked about for years. There was always the possibility that there was someone out there who knew something. It was just that no one was asking them.

By the following day Orion had thrown out lines to nearly every informant he knew, telling them he was looking for any information at all on the destruction of the small village in northern England some fifteen years ago. Charly was right. He had the resources. He just had to use them.

Charly sat on the park bench watching people go by. Some were casually strolling down the walkway while others were hurrying by so fast they were nearly running to try and get wherever they were going.

The town he was in was situated nearly a 100 miles away from London and remote enough to make the site a good meeting place.

Charly watched people passing by him for nearly an hour when one finally approached him and took the seat next to him on the bench. Most people would have quickly scooted over a space or so to distance themselves from the scruffy looking man now seated next to Charly. But Charly held his seat, still staring straight ahead.

"And?" Charly asked without once looking at the man.

"The line's out." The man replied. "And your friend is casting all over the place. Whatever he wants to know, he wants to know it real bad."

"What is he asking for?" Charly inquired as he watched a nice looking young woman pass by in front of him.

"The story is that some years ago a couple from a small village, a witch and a wizard, was murdered by the muggles in the village. The only one of the family what survived was the couple's young daughter. Set up is that the villagers acted on the word of a man who came to the village preaching 'bout witches and wizards bein' evil and needing to be killed. Your friend wants to know who that man was and if he's still alive."

"And?"

The man turned to Charly. "The line may be out, but so far there ain't so much as a nibble. Even though I'm told your friend is offering quite a pretty sum for that information."

"Really?"

The man nodded. "But it was a long time ago. People forget. Honestly forget. And what I hear is that there ain't many people what even know about this happening, much less remember it. And those what do only heard about it second or third hand themselves. No one who was there has come forward yet. And it ain't likely any of the muggles are going to, now is it?"

"Well," Charly answered after a brief pause, "how very fortunate for my friend that someone just happened to step forward with the information he wants."

The man turned to him. "Who?"

Charly gave the man a small smile. "Whoever you choose to repeat what I'm going to tell you to."

The man quickly moved back on the bench. There wasn't one ounce of warmth in the smile of the man sitting next to him.

Orion looked up from his desk the next day to see his partner hurrying into his office. But he quickly cut the man off before he even got started.

"Yes, I'm still single. No, I'm still not dating men. Go away, Charly."

Charly parked himself on the edge of Orion's desk. "You're hysterical, you know that?"

Orion looked up briefly from the report he was trying to finish. "What is it, Charly? I'm busy."

Charly lowered his voice. "I'm here with a fishing report, mate." He replied. "And word is you got one on your line."

Orion's head snapped up. "Who?"

Charly shook his head. "I don't know his name. He stopped me last night at the pub I was in. Asked if I was still partnered with you. The man knew all the right words, Orion. I think he's legit."

Orion's interest continued to peak. "What did he have?"

Charly shrugged slightly. "Wouldn't say. But he swore it would be worth your time to meet with him."

"When?"

"Tonight. At the pub we were in last night. But he says he'll meet with just you. Said he didn't want to be talking in front of witnesses."

Orion shrugged the comment off. Informants rarely wanted to meet with anyone else around. He shoved a piece of parchment over to Charly. "Write down the address and the time."

Ought had been working the streets for several years. And in those years he had been asked to do a lot of very crazy, if not often very dangerous, things. But this had to be the strangest thing he had ever been asked to do. But the scruffy looking man who had approached him with this particular job said the pay would be worth his time. Just to repeat a story to some Auror about some witch and wizard that were killed over a decade ago. What made the job dangerous was that this wasn't just 'some Auror'. This was an Unspeakable. And from what the scruffy looking man had told Ought, a high ranking one at that.

Ought looked about the pub as he came in. He knew the man he was looking for on sight. The scruffy looking man who had hired him had showed him a picture. But in his line of work that really meant very little. A little polyjuice potion and a person could be anyone. 

Ought worked his way slowly over to the table and sat down. 

"You Black?" He asked the man.

Orion simply nodded to him. 

Ought didn't particularly like the man on sight. Something about him gave him the creeps. All he had been told was that the man was looking for information, and that the man who had past the story on to him didn't want to be connected with it. But he had told Ought that if he would meet with the Auror, pass on the information, he'd be paid very well.

"Well?" Ought asked.

Orion sighed and reached into his jacket and pulled out and envelope, which he slid across the table. Ought picked it up and quickly flipped through the bills, counting off to make sure the amount was correct. It was a quick check if the man was who he said he was, but not a fool-proof one. But the information, in Ought's opinion, didn't really warrant much more of a security check than that.

"What have you got?" Orion asked decisively.

Ought made to look around carefully before leaning over the table a bit and lowering his voice. "Word is out you're looking for information 'bout what happened to a wizard and his little witch in a small village about 15 years ago."

"And what do you know about it?" Orion asked.

"Back 25 years ago, mate, I was a Deatheater...."

"And today you're not?" Orion asked.

The man paused briefly. The scruffy man had warned him that Orion was suspicious just on principal. He could and should expect a barrage of questions that were as automatic to Orion as breathing was to most people.

Ought pulled up the answer he had been given and repeated it to Orion, sounding as convincing as he could.

"That's not important to what I have to tell you. The point here is that 25 years ago, I was."

"Go on." Orion replied stoically.

Good. Ought made it past the first hurdle. All he had to do was keep making the man believe him and he was home free.

"Back then, the dark lord was coming into his power, but not like he was right before the fall. Back then he was looking for people to take into his ranks. People who could help him. Who would be loyal to him and add their power to his."

Orion gave the man a very bored look. "And what great power did you have to offer the dark lord that he took you into his fold?"

"Every leader needs soldiers." Ought replied. "That's all I was to the dark lord."

Ought could practically feel the man trying to read him. But finally he gave him a slight nod and Ought went on. 

"Back then, the dark lord heard of a young witch who lived in a small village with her parents."

"What was the village's name?" Orion snapped out suddenly.

Well, that was anticipated. And the answer was standard. "I don't remember. It was a long time ago, Mr. Black. Been a lot of villages and a lot of little witches since then."

"Go on."

Ought sighed inwardly and continued with the story just as it had been told to him. The village was remote. They knew nothing of the growing tensions in the world outside of their own. The people, although they knew about the wizarding family living in their village, were simple and naive. The dark lord saw them as no problem to his plan. He thought they might even help. He formulated a plan to go to the village as a wandering preacher-type man. He went into the village and established himself there. A slightly annoying, but amusing and harmless local oddity. Something new for the villagers to listen to.

But as he amused and entertained them, the dark lord began working spells on the villagers, disguising his spells as just talking to them. Just....being annoying."

"What spells?"

Again, anticipated.

"Manipulation Charms mostly. He worked his dark magic on enough of the villagers to sway the others when the time came. He waited until the girl absently worked her magic in front of him. Then he sprung his trap. He went to the village square again, and this time began strengthening the spells he had cast. He told the people that Witches and wizards were evil. That they only appeared to help those around them to make them weak and finally enslave them. Those he had cast spells on believed him. And they were set to work on convincing others that the preacher-man told the truth. Then one day soon after the girl's father came to the square. The dark lord managed to goad the man into cursing him. A fatal mistake for the girl's father. As soon as the man left, the dark lord told the people there was the proof they needed that the witch and wizard were not harmless. That he was threatening their hold on the villagers and he was warning the preacher-man off.

The villagers began to listen more and more to the preacher-man. More and more were swayed by their neighbors until the dark lord had control of most of them. Those he manipulated to going to the house of the witch's parents. There he had them kill the girl's parents but leave her unharmed. 

The dark lord made a very good show to this little witch of being a great hero come to save her from the evil villagers who had killed her parents."

"And your dark lord took the girl and left?"

Ought smiled at the Unspeakable across from him. This was actually the part of the story he liked. "What? And leave all those witnesses about? Oh no. The dark lord had a suitable reward ready for all those muggles what helped him kill that witch and wizard. As well as work it so he would look the avenging angel in the eyes of that little witch. He told her he would help her get revenge on that village for what they did to her parents. And he did."

"Did what?"

"All that's left of that village to this day is a grass field. Not one person walked away from there alive. Muggle authorities said it was a massive fire of some kind. An explosion. Wiped out the whole town. And because it was so remote, there was no getting any help to them in time."

Ought sat staring back at the Unspeakable for a few moments. But abruptly Orion reached out and snatched the envelope out of his hands.

"Your lying." He stated firmly.

Ought held his ground. "I'm not! That's the truth as sure as I'm sitting here telling it to you." Sort of an ironic answer, Ought thought. But the scruffy man had warned him that Orion wouldn't believe the story just on principal.

"Then prove to me that this isn't just some fanciful tale you thought up to get this money." Orion replied, holding up the envelope in front of the man.

"All right." Ought stated. "This girl...this little witch the dark lord wanted so badly.....he brought her back to the lair. Raised her like his own. But he didn't want no tangle-ups with her. So he changed her name. Her name was Hekren. Katlin Hekren. But the dark lord changed her name to Griss. She's now the head of the Deatheater Elite. But you check your muggle records, and you'll find no record of a Katlin Griss before that village burned." The man leaned across the table. "Voldemort created her."

The scruffy man had told Ought that it was a name that would convince Orion. But not Katlin's. It was Voldemort's. Ought had to use the dark lord's name at least once. No muggle would know it. No wizard or witch would use it. But a Deatheater would say it without so much as flinching.

The trick seemed to work as Orion paused, then slowly slid the envelope back across the table.

"If I find out this story was a lie in any way," he warned the man, "you won't have enough time left to enjoy that money."

Ought grabbed the envelope and this time stuffed it in his own coat pocket. "I knows enough not to muck about with you lot."

He didn't wait to see if the Unspeakable had anything else to say. Ought got up and headed for the door, trying to look as casual as he could. But the truth was he couldn't wait to get out of the pub and find another. What he needed more than anything right then was a good stiff drink.

Charly stood in an alleyway across from the pub. He watched as Ought left the bar, practically running down the street like a scared rabbit. A few minutes later he watched his partner leave and head down a nearby alleyway, likely apparating home from there.

Pure luck had allowed him to find out about Katlin's name. Treak's had let it slip one day, and Charly had filed the seemingly trivial piece of information away for a day it might come in useful. Tonight it had proved just that. As surely as he had had to arrange things to make Orion believe the informant, his partner would need some small, seemingly unknown piece of information to give Griss to make her believe the information as well. Hopefully the knowledge about her name would do the trick.

As for the rest, Charly had little doubt things went as he had planned them out. His contact had passed the story Charly had told him on to Ought, telling him he only needed to repeat the story to the Unspeakable. Ought knew nothing more about the story other than that he had to tell it to the Unspeakable. So to him, there was no consideration even if the story was the truth or a lie. He was simply repeating something told to him. That left no trail and nothing for Orion to seize onto to tell if the story was the truth or not.

Charly sighed, his breath rising in a thin, white cloud before him. Looking about once more, he headed off across the street towards the brightly lighted doorway of the pub. It was a cold night, and a strong shot of something would help warm him up before he headed home.

****

Q&A

Enemies

****

Silverfox: I don't know why I'm starting with you. You're definitely one of the harder people to answer. But your questions are good and I suppose that is why I like them so much.

So, you adore Bo? Join the club. Most people seem to like him. But he is such an interesting character. And in this story, he's the most dependable. Guaranteed, with Bo what you see is what you get. The only problem is, you haven't seen the half of him yet (so to speak).

Now, I thought we had agreed to give poor Charly a chance. He is trying to help. Unlike Treaks, who's just trying to help himself.

Charly's working for the wrong allies? I disagree. Most of what Charly has been able to do was made possible by information he got from Treaks. If you want to know what your enemy is up to, make him a friend. Works wonders.

Has Charly ever met Bo? Interesting question. Charly knows Bo exists, obviously. Has he ever met him face to robes? Never really thought about that. Interesting story idea though. *PAR runs off to make notes.*

Being the author, I would say 'yes', the two have met. How would the two get along? Probably the same way Bo treats most people who aren't a threat. 'You're here. That's nice. Moving on to something more interesting now.' Keep in mind, Bo does not distinguish between people based on their personalities, as so many of us do. As Orion pointed out to Katlin, to the boggart there are only two types of people in the world, those that belong in the house, and those who don't. He just doesn't get much deeper than that. It tends to make life so much simpler.

Now, back to that answer I promised you last chapter. Who really is Bo? The Power or the boggart?

That is a tough question, Dear. And I hate to give you a cliche answer like 'Well, neither. And both'. But that is what it boils down to. 

Keep in mind, The Power is a symbiotic spirit. It actually exists, physically (sort of). So, what you have is two 'articles' in one container. Bo is 100% boggart. But the boggart got combined with something it doesn't understand. Suddenly it has a greater intelligence than its counterparts, greater power, and an overall enhancement of it's original abilities. Now, even though The Power is very intelligent, and very powerful, what happens when you take that intelligence and power and stick it in a creature that basically functioning on instincts?

Well, you get a hyperactive three year old...., who could destroy the world. And doesn't know it.

And if that ain't frightening, I don't know what is.

And this is part of what you see in Orion's actions with him. Orion never out-rightly goes out of his way to upset Bo, or frighten or confuse him. He, if anything, treats the boggart that exact same way you would treat a person with a IQ of about 75, but who happens to be six foot four and weighs in at 300 pounds.

This is why he was so cautious with the situation when he found Katlin in the cellar trying to talk to Bo. The situation had a great deal of potential for going suddenly very bad. Bo had never 'met' Katlin. In the cellar the first time he saw her as an intruder in the house. And the second time, he still didn't know her well. And Katlin had no idea how to act around Bo. The worse thing she could have done, she was doing., She was getting too close to him, trying to see under the hood of his robes. Bo, being a simple-minded creature, sees encroachment into his 'personal space' as a hostile move. And that was what Orion was so worried about. There were no sudden moves, and Orion handled everything going on around him like it was a hand-blown glass ball. One wrong move, and everything shatters. But by taking her by the hand and leading her out of the cellar, Orion was showing Bo (which was a better method than trying to 'tell' him) that Katlin was special to him, and any act against her would not be tolerated.

Now, wasn't that a simple answer?

****

Sailor Sol: Yes, things are going very well with Mom. She is now taking turns between the walker and the cane.

I'm glad you liked the chapter, Dear. It was one of my favorites.

As to whether or not the hit did any real damage remains to be seen.

****

Sweets: Thank you for thinking of my Mom. She is indeed doing very well and this week we go back to see the doctor.

I had a very hard time closing that chapter. But the final line worked very well.

I think the mirror will be just a mirror, just a Sirius described it to Harry. But I'm pretty sure it will have a grander role to play in the scheme of things than just being broken. And on that note, yes, it can be repaired even though it is broken.

And I do hope you read the A/N's at the top. In regards to that, it took me forever to catch the dog transformation, it happened so quick. I wish I could get the size larger. *Sigh* But I LOVE the trailer. I never thought it would be out this soon. Thanks for the tip. You're the best!

Hope you had a good Thanksgiving.

****

Ode To Harry Potter Summaries

Raiining: Strange way to spell 'raining'.

Thank you, Dear. I am glad you liked them. And yes, it is hard to get them all in. After I wrote that I found some more. So I'm not sure if there will be a 'part two'.

****

Family Life

Elodie: In French?! Oh!!!!!!!!!! That would be so cool!

Dear, if you have THAT much time on your hands, be my guest. Just let me know when you put it up. I would like to read the story that way and see how you did translating it.

Reviews are as of 11272003.

And just remember;

Life is hard, 

And life is tough.

Things get hairy.

And things get rough.

But just remember,

ninety-nine per cent true,

There's always someone, 

Worse off than you. 


	34. Chapter TwentySix: The Heart Of My Soul

A/N: A note about something I said last time, folks. Someone asked me, outside of reviews, if Bo doesn't really hate anyone, or understand the concept of 'hate', how can he get pissed off?(Smart little reader, catching something like that.) 

Well, PAR does have an answer. Whereas he might not 'hate' someone, Bo can still get angry. And he can be upset. And that's something you just don't ever want to do. I mean, just imagine all that power in the hands of a three year old.....having a temper tantrum.

Oh, and we get the return of everyone's favorite 'bad person' in this chapter, folks.

So, as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: *Looks over latest bank statement* Either there is some drastic error here, or I'm am most definitely NOT JK Rowling, I am NOT making any money off of these stories, and I did NOT sell the rights for said stories to Warner Brothers for a truck load of money.

Dang! Looks like the latter. 

****

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Heart Of My Soul

Orion ducked as a streak of light flew over him, just barely missing it's intended target. 

He had definitely had better days.

Early in the week the Department had gotten information on a Deatheater raid. For Orion it was the best part of his week so far. It gave him something to do. Something he knew how to do without having to even think about it. And thinking was the last thing he wanted to do at that moment. 

But when they arrived at the site they had been told was where the Deatheaters would be, the Deatheaters appeared to have been more than ready for them and the agents that had been sent found themselves walking into something of an ambush.

'Oh well.' Orion told himself forlornly. 'It wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last.'

Orion quickly returned fire, taking down the Deatheater who had fired the spell before moving on. He rapidly scanned the scene before him. But for having walked into an ambush, the Department was still holding their own very well.

Orion looked about him, trying to assess where he was most needed when something caught his eye from within a small group of black robes. A small, white light winked at him from within the robes of one of the Deatheaters. It sparkled and flashed as the person changed position. But each time it caught the slightest hint of light, it shown like a beacon to him.

Orion stared at the group for a few seconds. He swore that no matter what, he would know that tiny spark of light anywhere. It sat just high enough within the robes of the person it belonged to to be hanging about their neck. Much like a pendent would. 

A small, diamond pendent.

Orion watched as a group of Aurors closed in on the small group. He knew well enough from the form of the attack, it would be the last one for the Deatheaters. The Aurors had split into two groups, attacking the black robed figures from both the front and the back. Several fell immediately as spells and curses alike struck them.

Orion launched himself at the group, driving headlong into them as he looked about desperately for the small, spark of light that would guide him. From the corner of his eye a small glint of hope attracted his attention. Turning to it, he grabbed the hand of the person underneath the robes and pulled them down.

With the same single-minded determination that he had barreled into the circle with, Orion wrapped his arms about the black robes and directed them back out and away from the fighting. Once he was far enough away that no one would take any notice of them, he pulled them both to an abrupt stop in a small grove of trees and stepped in front of the person, pulling back the black hood as he prayed as hard as he ever had in his life for one thing.

A mass of dark auburn hair answered his prayer and a wave of relief flooded through him as he grabbed Katlin in his arms and buried his face in that heaven of auburn silk. Over her shoulder he saw the Aurors move in for the final attack, only a few of the Deatheaters remaining on their feet to oppose them. But his relief quickly turned to annoyance as he pulled Katlin back, fixing a hard stare on her.

"What are you doing here?" He asked firmly, the relief in his voice still hedging out the annoyance. "I thought your main use to Voldemort was as a spy and an interrogator?"

"I am!" Katlin defended quickly. "But I fight when I'm told to. Merlin's Beard, Orion! We met during a fight. What did you think I was doing there? Stopping people and asking them questions?"

"You shouldn't even be here. It's far too dangerous."

Katlin started back to where the others were still fighting. "Orion, I can take care of myself."

Orion hurried after her, stopping her just before she left the cover of the trees. "Katlin, you are pregnant! You shouldn't be in the middle of a battle when your pregnant!"

"Will you stop worrying!?"

"As soon as I see you apparate out of here, yes."

"And I will...., as soon as I'm told to."

"Fine. I'm telling you to. Go."

Katlin pulled herself about, facing him with a hard, cold stare. "And you are not who I take orders from." She stated defiantly.

Just then a panting voice broke into their exchange. "Are you two done here, or were you thinking of just standing here arguing for the rest of the battle?"

Orion and Katlin quickly turned to see Charly standing behind them, panting hard as he tried to catch his breath.

"We're done." Orion stated in a decisive voice. "Katlin. Go home."

Katlin met his hard stare without flinching. "I will n..."

But she never got to finish her statement. A streak of white light suddenly shot through the trees, hitting her directly in the side. With a short cry, Katlin's body slammed sideways into a tree, then crumpled in a heap to the ground.

"Katlin!!?" Orion was at her side instantly. "Katlin!? Love? Are you all right?"

Charly quickly looked over his shoulder. "Is she all right?"

"I don't know." He tried a quick Enervation spell, but nothing happened. Orion started to carefully lift her head, but slowly pulled his hand back as his fingers met with something wet. Even in the dim light of the setting sun he could see the blood now staining his fingers.

"Uh oh."

"Get her out of here." Charly said abruptly, causing Orion to turn to him.

"What?"

"Head injuries aren't good, Orion. And she's not responding to an Enervation spell. That's worse. Apparate her to St. Andrews. I'll cover for you."

Orion gave his partner a small smile. "You're well on your way to Godfather status, Charly. You know that?"

A hard stare met Orion's. "Just get her out of here."

An hour later Orion was still sitting in the waiting room at St. Andrews. The only thing that kept him calm was that he was waiting there alone. The Emergency staff had taken Katlin back to the ward rooms for an examination as soon as they arrived. Since then he hadn't heard a word that wasn't his own, telling himself again and again that she and the baby would be all right.

"Mr. Black?"

Orion started out of his thoughts. But his anxious stare turned to one of outright annoyance as he found himself staring up at the last person he cared to see.

Aaron Richards.

As far back as Orion had been an Auror, Arron Richards had been a thorn in his side. To Richards, there were no 'bad werewolves', just ones in need of rescuing from the ministry and a bit of 're-education'. Towards such, Richards ran a sort of 'underground railroad' for those werewolves the ministry was looking for, quickly and quietly relocating them if word ever got out the ministry was after any particular one. Orion would have considered it a personal gift if the ministry ever came up with anything on Richards himself. But so far they hadn't, and the man continued to be Orion's personal thorn.

"Go away, Richards." Orion stated as he rested his forehead against his folded hands again. "I'm not in the mood right now."

"Good." The doctor stated, taking the seat next to him. "Neither am I."

Orion turned another annoyed stare to the man. "Do you mind?" He stated irritably. "I'm here with someone."

"Katlin Griss. I'm well aware of that." Richards answered, opening the chart he was holding. "I'm her doctor."

Orion was on his feet in seconds. "What!?"

"Sit down, Mr. Black." Richards said in the same, conversational tone he had been using as he continued to peruse the chart in his hands. "Displays are uncalled for. I happen to be the ER doctor on call tonight, so naturally, I am the one attending to Ms. Griss."

"Really? Just making sure she's ready when the ministry gets here?"

"The ministry?" Richards looked up at the man still on his feet next to him. "Why ever would I bring them into this?"

"You're treating one of the dark lord's top agents and you're not calling in the ministry? I find that hard to believe."

Richards turned his attention back to the chart in his hands. "Whatever you care to believe, Mr. Black, currently I am treating my 'patient'. What she does in her spare time is no concern of mine."

Orion's stare turned to one of genuinely surprise.

"Now do sit down, Mr. Black."

Orion slowly took his seat again, still carefully eyeing the man next to him.

"Ms. Griss has a nasty concussion." Richards began, paging through the chart. "She has a sprained wrist, a considerable amount of bruising....., all in all," he added, closing the chart, "she has earned herself a very comfortable night in one of our lovely rooms. Visiting hours are from ten to nine. Now, in addition to that...."

"What about the baby?" Orion spoke up quickly.

Richards abruptly stopped, giving him a puzzled stare. "Baby?"

"Katlin is three months pregnant. That was one of the reasons I brought her here. Things like this the woman usually shrugs off while she's beating the daylights out of whoever's responsible. But I wanted to make sure the baby was all right."

Richards was already flipping through the chart again, stopping on one of the pages for a few seconds before snapping it shut again. "Mr. Black, if that woman is pregnant, so am I."

Orion returned an equally puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

"That Ms. Griss is not pregnant. I, for one, would be surprised if, in fact, she ever became pregnant."

Orion's expression shifted quickly from puzzled to disbelief. "But....but she's pregnant."

Richards slowly shook his head. "No. Ms. Griss has sustained a lot of injuries over the years, Mr. Black. The combination of too many hits to too many of the wrong places has caused permanent, internal damage to her. She can't become pregnant."

"But....but she had all of the symptoms."

Richards opened the chart again. "My exam revealed the presence of a fairly large tumor in her lower abdominal cavity. It's likely the reason for all the symptoms she's been experiencing. Due to it's placement and size, the tumor could very well produce symptoms that could mimic a pregnancy. The problem is that while it currently appears to be benign, that could change rather abruptly. I would suggest that it be removed while we have her here."

Orion sat for several minutes, simply staring at the wall opposite him. "You...you haven't told her yet?" He asked finally as Richards stood silently next to him.

"About the tumor? No. Not yet."

"No." Orion corrected in the same flat tone. "About....about the baby."

"No. I haven't."

Orion continued to stare blankly at the wall. "Don't." He said in barely a whisper. "Please.......don't."

Richards slowly took the seat next to Orion. "As her doctor, Mr. Black, it's not something I can keep from her. She will have to be told."

"Please......," Orion began slowly, finally turning to look up at the man next to him, "please...., Aaron, you have no idea what this will do to her. Isn't there something....anything you can do? She can get over not being pregnant. But....but if you tell her she can never have a child.....I swear, it will kill her. Isn't there something...anything you can do....just to give her hope?"

Aaron stared back at his long time adversary. Surprised if by nothing else than by the pure pain in the man's expression. "I haven't done a complete exam yet." He said finally. "Just enough to ascertain her general condition. That was how we found the tumor to begin with. We'll keep her here overnight, but you bring her by my office at the end of the week and we'll run a few more tests before the surgery."

Orion sighed quietly as he rested his face in one hand. "Thank you."

"Orion."

Orion looked back up at the man.

"She will need to be told about her 'pregnancy'. Either by you or by me, I don't care which. But she needs to be told."

Orion continued to stare up at Richards with an unreadable expression on his face. "I'll tell her." He said in a low, controlled voice. "She'll know by the time we come to see you."

Katlin had taken the news about the pregnancy far better than Orion had expected her to, though he expected she had buried a great deal of her feelings over it deep within herself. The surgery went without a single complication and afterwards Richards had come and explained how things went to Katlin, telling her that while it wasn't impossible for her to become pregnant, it might be difficult. Orion never asked if the prognosis was true, but simply accepted it as Katlin did without question. 

Katlin spent just a little over a week at home recuperating before going back to the lair, insisting she was fine despite Orion's protests to the contrary.

It was several weeks later that Orion came home full of plans on how to cheer Katlin up. She constantly professed she was fine, but Orion was watching her slowly slip further away from him day by day, both mentally and emotionally. Though she still lived in his house, and still slept in his bed, she couldn't have been further from him then if she were living back at the lair. He had talked with several doctors about her condition, following every bit of advice he was given. From trying to give her the space he felt she needed to being there for her as well if she needed him to. All in all it was a complicated juggling act and more than anything, an eggshell walk for him.

But finally he had decided that what she needed most was a night out. Katlin had blatantly refused to leave the house for weeks. Mostly staying in or going for walks around the grounds. But more than anything, avoiding him as much as possible. She needed a night out.

When he apparated into the foyer, the first thing that greeted him was absolute silence. Then, as he stood listening, a small sound drifted down one of the corridors to him.

The sound of someone crying.

Orion quickly followed the sound as it led him down one corridor then another, until he suddenly realized where the sound was coming from.

The nursery.

When he reached the doorway, he carefully peered around the corner.

Inside Katlin sat in the large rocking chair, one of the many stuffed animals held in her lap as she hugged it tightly her, slowly rocking back and forth as she cried.

Very cautiously Orion stepped into the room and gradually made his way over to where she sat.

"Katlin?" He whispered softly as he crouched next to her. "It just wasn't the right time for us, Love." He tried to reassure her. He didn't need to asked what was wrong.

"When?" Came the choked replied. "When will it be, Orion?"

Orion moved in front of her, still crouched down before her. "I don't know." He told her gently, staring up into her tear stained face. "I'm just saying it wasn't now."

Katlin instantly broke into tears again as she leaned forward, hugging the small stuff toy again for all she was worth. "Orion, I am so sorry." She moaned piteously. "I am so very, very sorry."

Orion quickly sat her back up. "Love? For what?" He asked earnestly.

"You wanted this child so badly." She cried. "I shouldn't have been there. I shouldn't have been in that battle. I should have told Voldemort I couldn't fight. But I didn't." She wailed. "And because of that our child is dead."

Orion stared at her in disbelief. "Katlin!" He stated a bit more firmly as he grabbed her by the shoulders. "Katlin, listen to me! There was no baby. You didn't lose our child. If....if this hadn't happened, Love, I could have lost you. We didn't know about the tumor. It could have killed you. This is nothing you need to apologize for. Or feel regret over." Orion gave her a comforting smile. "And....and it's not like we can't try again, Love." He assured her. "And next time, we can try to get pregnant by plan, instead of by accident. I mean, planning for the child is half the fun, right? We would have missed all that this time."

Katlin abruptly stopped crying as she gave him a wide-eyed stare. "You.........you would want to try again?" She asked quietly. "With me?"

Orion stared back at her in surprise. "Of course with you." He answered with a small smile. "Who else? We're going to fill this house up with our children."

"But you....you're not suppose to have children, Orion. Your father...."

Orion quickly cut her off. "I am not my father, Katlin. And I did not make those rules. And I don't happen to think they're right. I haven't for a long time. Bo has never shown himself to be the danger my father thinks of him as. If anything, he has protected me, saved both of our lives, and shown himself to me to be nothing more than what he presents. And aside from all of that, Bo is likely going to outlive three generations of this family, thereby remaining host to The Power. So I really see no reason why we should do everything possible to remain childless. Especially when one considers just how long I intend to have you in my life." He added with a small smile. 

Katlin suddenly fell forward from the chair and into his arms. "Oh, thank you." She cried. "Thank you for saying that."

Orion quickly pulled her back in confusion. "Katlin, why would you ever think anything different?"

Katlin sniffed over her tears. "I thought that.......that you would hate me now. That you would never want to go through this again. I saw how disappointed you were feeling. How hurt you were when you found out."

"Me?" Orion asked in surprise, taking her hands in his. "Love, what about you? You were so devastated. You looked so lost, and I didn't know what to do for you. I tried everything I could think of to make this easier on you."

"But.....but you've been so distant." Katlin said softly, turning to the floor. "I thought you just couldn't even stand to be around me anymore."

"But I thought that was what you wanted, Love. Some space. Some time."

A soft, pained looked answered him. "I had never felt so far from you in my life. It was killing me inside. I took to taking walks around the gardens just to be away from you. Away from that feeling I got every time I came near you. That you didn't want me near you anymore."

Orion gave a soft laugh. "And all I was doing was trying to do what all those doctors told me too. Everyone one of them telling me something different. When the one person I should have asked was you." Orion enveloped her in a hug. "I never want you away from me, Love. It was just that you were hurting so badly. I didn't know how to help you, and I wanted to so badly. I felt like I was failing you when you needed me the most. All I wanted to do was to take you in my arms and hold you and tell you how much I loved you."

Katlin relaxed into his hold, laying her head against his shoulder. "I do need you, Orion." She replied. "And I need so much to hear you say that everything is going to be all right."

Orion squeezed her a bit tighter to him as he stroked her hair. "It will be all right, Katlin. You'll see. But until then," he added, looking about the room, "why don't we put all of this away? Until we're ready."

Katlin tightened her grip about his neck, but finally nodded. "Until we're ready." She whispered back.

****

Q&A

Enemies

Silverfox: There's nothing wrong with complicated questions, Dear. And the unusual ones just keep me on my toes.

Well, you pretty much have the right feeling for Treaks. I have yet to give one reason anyone should feel sorry for this man.

Is Charly better off without him? That remains to be seen. Currently Treaks is a good source of information, and Charly knows it. Far too good of a source to casually blow off just because he happens to be the enemy. And keep in mind that these two are not working together by choice. They have a common goal in mind. One that, although never stated outright, has been alluded to.

I don't know that I can explain Bo any better than I have. Although I do know I could do a three hour symposium on him just trying to explain exactly who and what he is. Keep in mind The Power has no existence except through its host and that its host uses it. With Orion's father, it had no existence at all, since Talon refused to use it. With the boggart, it is now trapped in the body of a simple-minded creature who doesn't conceptionalize it the way its other hosts did and in part, doesn't even acknowledge it. Nor does it seem to have the same negative effect on its current host as it did on the others.

Also, (just to confuse you if you aren't already), The Power is not a physical part of Orion entirely. It response to him and he can call it when he needs to, and to a certain extent he controls it. But the current host to The Power is Bo, not Orion.

Yes, yes, yes. I know what I said in the story. Orion's father trapped The Power in the boggart and left it in the cellar until Orion found it. And through the spells Bo taught Orion, he was able to allow The Power to come into him as a physical force. 

But Orion was never the host. The Power has only touched him, it never possessed him.

Totally confused? Try being the person who created this little enigma.

And just wait until you meet Hershal. Another one of my better characters. 

So sorry about the boggart search, Dear. Better luck next time?

Sailor Sol: The fact that Voldemort changed Katlin's name was pure logistics. Any relatives or so would come looking for a Katlin Hekren, not Griss. And on so many levels, Voldemort was not about to let go of Katlin once he had her.

Oh yes, the Q&A section can just be chocked full of little goodies. And you most definitely will learn things in there that the other readers may not find out for several chapters, if at all. Sometimes, like with Silverfox, I get asked something that requests I explain (or at least try to) something a bit deeper than I go into it in the story, such as Bo. What you read in the story is really all you get on Bo here. He'll be a much more expanded character in Family Relations, but still a bit of an enigma. But lets face it, its hard to work with a character who, for the most part, doesn't talk. Especially if your strong point in stories is dialogue.

But yes, Q&A can be a treasure trove of background information.

Sweets: Yup. Mom is coming along. She insisted on doing dinner tonight. Which is why I had time to put out an extra chapter this week.

The trailer is very nice, but I would still love to see it in a larger size. The one on the Warner Brothers website is little more than a selection of stills set to the commentary of the actual trailer. but the Moviefone one is pretty good. Just small and a bit hard to see.

Awwww, I had no idea you were alone for Thanksgiving. That's terrible at the holidays. But I thought your Dad brought you to the convention?

Yes, poor Charly has his work cut out for him. And things keep seeming to go from bad to worse for him. Plus, he's trying to get Orion to follow a thought pattern that his partner has no interest in. Namely that dating a Deatheater is not going to show up real good on ones resume.

But the one thing that amazes me is that no one has given poor Charly any credit for the fact he has steadfastly stood by his friend through all of this. He didn't report any of Orion's 'activities' to Bale. He didn't tell him to naff-off when he found out he was dating a Deatheater. And he has never presented Orion with an 'It's her or me' ultimatum. True, Charly is not a happy camper about the situation. And he is doing his darnedest to manipulate it to his own end goals. But as this chapter showed, he has still stood by his friend and been there when he was needed.

I suppose I'll see the trailer in all its glory when I go to see The Return of the King, which is the only other movie I am planning on this year.

****

Family Life

AJ-Wolf-AJ: Family Life is indeed being sequeled, Dear. No need to beg. The story has been in the works for months (ask any of my other readers), under the title of Family Relations. Unfortunately, due to content, several other stories have to come out first or certain parts of Family Relations won't make any sense at all. Those stories, in order, are:

Enemies

Runaway

Gentle Persuasion

The Price Of My Soul (Possibly postponed)

Family Relations

Family Ties

Also, you'll note there is a third story there. Family Ties is the sequel to Family Relations and is the final chapter of the Family story arc. It is due out, like all my stories, when PAR gets a little more time on her hands. (Probably 2005). But Family Relations will be out 2004.

All reviews are as of 11302003.

And remember;

Doesn't expecting the unexpected make the unexpected the expected? 


	35. Chapter Twentyseven: Where We're Headed

A/N: Oddly, I have nothing to say. *Looks around at the relieved faces* Oh, stop looking so smug.

But as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: You know, after two year of doing this, it amazes me that you people haven't figured out yet that I actually am JK Rowling, and I have decided to start giving away for free that which I usually sell for more money then you will see in your lifetime and......*Breaks down into a giggling fit*...Oh dear! I'm sorry. I just knew I couldn't get through that with a straight face. 

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Where We're Headed

Despite her words, Orion couldn't help but see changes in Katlin over the next few weeks after her surgery. Physically she recovered well enough, but he wasn't so sure how she was handling things emotionally.

For starters, she out-rightly avoided ever going into the wing of the house where the nursery had been. If she needed anything from that part of the house, she sent Tets to get it. The rest of it she simply buried so deeply inside of herself, to look at her one would never know anything at all had happened.

Orion did his best not to interfere with how she chose to handle things. Richards had strongly cautioned him against trying to impose his views on her about the situation. 'Everyone handles things like this in their own way. So let her.' had been his warning. And Orion tried his best heeded it.

For himself, Orion took a more philosophical view of the whole matter. While he was disappointed, he was much stronger in favor of the 'planning' side of things. He, for one, had never intended to start his family out of wedlock. 'Right and proper' was the way to do things.

Something that was strongly on his mind one night as he rolled over on his back with a very contended sigh. 

As he lay staring at the ceiling a slim, white arm crept its way over his chest. Orion wrapped his arm about Katlin's naked shoulder and pulled her closer to him as she cuddled up against his body.

"Meitz!" He exclaimed softly with a light chuckle. "That was too good for words."

Katlin gave a soft, contented sigh of her own. "So I heard." She replied.

Orion sighed happily again as he let his body relax over the soft mattress beneath him. Making love with Katlin was almost always a uniquely pleasurable experience in and of itself. But sometimes it was just extraordinary.

Tonight it had been extraordinary.

What the woman could do with her body Orion swore half the world hadn't even thought of yet. All things she had conjured up just to please him. To make sure that when they had to part in the morning, the sole thought on his mind was how fast he could get back to her.

A determined hand with talented, well practiced fingers slowly slid up his thigh under the covers. Orion chuckled slightly.

"Why Ms. Griss." He commented as the nails lightly brushed over their destination. "I do believe you're trying to seduce me."

Katlin gave a lazy sort of half smile as she watched her hand's progress under the white satin sheet. "You think so?" she asked.

"I would hope so. Hate to think I've been wrong all these nights."

Katlin pulled herself up until she was leaning over him, a shower of dark auburn silk cascading over his face. "Well, I have news for you." She informed him. "You have been."

"I have?"

"Yes." Katlin replied, leaning down and kissing him lightly on the lips. "Because half the time it's been you doing the seducing, Mr. Black."

Orion smiled at her as she slipped back into his arms and happily cuddled back up against him.

They lay for a long while like that. Orion watched the sky slowly begin to pale with the coming morning. Early morning was rapidly becoming his favorite time of the day. When they would both wake up, but still have a good hour or more to simply spend together before either had to leave. Living together was definitely one of his better ideas. But it was still a bit incomplete to him. 

He sighed quietly at the thought, brushing a bit of the silk auburn hair back from his lover's face as he stared down at her.

"Katlin?"

"Hmmm?" Came the sleepy reply.

"Where do you think we're headed?"

Katlin shifted slightly so that she could see the window. "Well, it's not too late." She replied, turning to him with a eager smile. "How about round two?"

Orion laughed softly. "No." He corrected. "I mean.....from here?"

Katlin pulled up closer to him, lightly biting his ear. "Round two."

Orion eased her back. "I meant further than the next five minutes, Love."

Katlin sighed as she settled back into his arms. "What does it matter, Orion?" She ask. "We're together. We're happy. What does it matter where we're headed."

"Don't you ever wonder?"

"No." She replied, cuddling up to him again. "I'm happy right where I am."

"In the arms of your Auror lover?"

"Yup."

Orion gave a happy sigh as he nestled against her hair. "Who would have ever imagined we'd end up together, hey?" 

Katlin shrugged. "It's not so strange."

"Really?"

Katlin shifted again until she was laying back against her own pillows. "My Dad was a German and My Mum was English. Those two should never have gotten together. And they met during the war. But my Dad met my Mum, they fell in love, and politics be damned. They met, they fell in love, they got married. That was that."

Orion sighed contentedly as he closed his eyes, "Sounds nice."

Katlin caressed her hand slowly down his chest. "It was. They really loved each other."

"Maybe that's what we should do, Katlin." Orion suggested casually.

Katlin pulled up with a happy smile. "What? Love each other? Great! Round two!"

Orion just managed to grab hold of her to stop her from landing right on top of him. "No." He told her. "Not that. At least not now. I meant the other part."

"What?" Katlin asked. "Meet?" She grabbed his hand and quickly shook it. "Katlin Griss. Deatheater. Pleased to meet you. Wanna shag?"

Orion held her back again. "Noooo." He stated a bit firmer. "Keep going."

Katlin stopped in her attempts to jump her lover and slowly pulled back. "Orion, all that leaves is getting marr....." But Katlin stopped herself in mid-sentence.

Orion smiled at her. "There we go!" He announced happily as he watched the realitazation dawn in her eyes.

"You.....you want to........get married?"

"Why not?"

"Orion!" Katlin stated sharply, pulling up to her knees in the bed. "Will you be serious?"

"Sounds kinky." He replied. "Maybe later. Never knew you had a thing for my younger brother though."

"Orion!" Katlin stated again. "We can't get married."

"Why not?"

Katlin held her arm up, clearly showing the dark mark burned into the skin. "Helloooooo! Deatheater? Auror? Not a match made in heaven, Orion."

"Do you love me?"

Katlin stopped short as she stared back at the man next to her. Nothing but complete sober seriousness showed in his eyes past his love for her.

"Well?" Orion asked.

Katlin gave him a small smile. "You know I love you. Why do you ask me things like that?"

"Because people in love usually get married. But you seem less than enthusiastic about the whole idea."

Katlin through back the covers and quickly crawled out of the bed. "Everything to you is black and white." She stated, grabbing her robe off the small silk covered bench at the foot of their bed. "And I applaud you. If you can actually manage to live your life that way. But Orion, face facts. There is nothing black and white about our relationship. And in that we have to accept certain limits that it has. Among them, we can not be married."

"Why not?" Orion stopped her before she disappeared behind the bathroom door.

Katlin paused for a moment, clearly thinking over her answer. But finally she turned back to face him. "Because we can't."

Orion sat in the bed, facing the closed door with a deep frown. She hadn't thought that long just to say 'because we can't'. Whatever answer she had been thinking of, he had gotten it. 

But he didn't feel he had to go far to find the answer she hadn't wanted to give him. It was the same answer that had been between them since the day they met. The same one that always stood between them. That steered her, manipulated her, and demanded everything of her to the point there was no room for anything...or anyone else in her life.

Voldemort.

A small smile crept its way across Orion's face as he continued to stare at the closed door.

She worshiped the man. Had willingly dedicated her life to him and his cause. But where would that faith be if she knew the truth?

The smile continued to spread.

She just needed to see the truth.

****

Q&A

Sailor Sol: No, Dear, there never was a baby. Will there ever be one? That remains to be seen.

Silverfox: Man! You keep me on my toes, Dear.

Ummmm, actually............being a Deatheater is what Katlin does in her spare time, so to speak. It's not her job. It just takes up a lot of her waking hours. However, a job? Nope. I refer you back to a previous chapter where Orion made that very same point to Katlin in reference to her living conditions. She very plainly remarked that Deatheaters were not employees, as were Aurors to the ministry. Many of them had regular 'day jobs'. They followed Voldemort because they believe in his ideals. Not because he pays them.

Of course Aaron rescues lots of werewolves. Orion wouldn't waste his time hating someone who wasn't a major pain in his backside.

At the time of the last chapter you could safely assume Charly and Treaks did not know there was no baby. By the end of this chapter you can safely assume they do. As that Orion would have told Charly and Charly would have told Treaks. (Even though it was never written. See! You do learn little side things by reading the Q&A!)

O.K., here's where the keepin' on the toes thing starts.

First, no, Bo doesn't acknowledge The Power. 

Next, I never said the Power's effects were always negative. For Bo it was a very positive thing.

The question you're facing is this; 'What would happen if you took an unbelievably powerful force and stuck it in the mind of a creature who was little more than instinct?'.

Trying looking at it this way; basically, one dumbed down, the other brightened up. As a result, they evened each other out, and you were left with Bo.

So, is he one or the other? Go back and read the last two lines again.

No, protecting the house is not abusing The Power.

The point with Bo being the host and not Orion. Again, look at it this way; Bo is the host. The form through which The Power has a physical form. Orion is little more than the channeler for the host. Bo has no concept of The Power. Left as things are, it would have less of an existence than it ever had with Talon Black. (Think about that one for a minute and you come up with one very unhappy little Power.) Then, along comes the person who was suppose to be your host as a wide-eyed, inquisitive, overly-confident seven year old.

Now, can you say 'manipulate the situation to your advantage'?

And that is basically what happened.

How was the Power halved due to Talon having two sons? (Man! Here goes that 'toes' thing again.)

O.K., here's the deal. Talon's father, (that would be Orion and Sirius' grandfather, for the genealogists in the group) used The Power for all it was worth. Day in. Day out. Nights. Weekends. Holidays. Made no difference.

Now, along comes the son, Talon. Who, having watched this Power drive his own father insane, and blamed The Power for that, decided it's time to rid his family of this thing once and for all.

However, Talon was no fool. He knew this thing was powerful, and dangerous, and not likely to go willingly. So he devised a way to weaken it. The parameters of the spell said there could only be one host. And what can I say? For the Black men, the best swimmers were males and the child was always a boy.

Now, Talon thought he had a pretty good idea going. When time came for The Power to go to his son, there would be two. And by the spell's parameters, it had to divide equally between them. Hence, you have just halved The Power's power.

Still with me? Good.

Then one day, here comes your overly-intelligent, if not slightly obnoxious, but still best friend (Hershal), who, one day while you're both looking over the spell, scanning for that elusive loophole, says, 'you know, nothing here says The Power has to go to a blood relative. Just a 'member' of the family. All you need is something considered a member of the family and a few well placed spells and you can get rid of this thing long before it even comes near time for it to pass to your sons'.

And so is a new idea formed.

So, it wasn't halved by Talon having two son's and then going on to one host. Talon's original idea was to divide it between his son's. But in the meantime, Talon and his best friend, Hershal, came up with a better idea, which was to trap The Power in the boggart.

O.K.?

What do you mean 'If Sirius never touched it, how can the Power be affected by him'? The Power has yet to touch Sirius, that is true. But it knows he's there. And it knew, before the boggart incident, that if Talon were to die, there would be issues.

Ah, Hershal. One of my favorites. He does not come up in this story though.

Well, Dear, at least you have hot water.

I would think cold. 

Skahducky: Charly and Treaks 'ultimate goal seems a bit in question' up to this point in the story, Dear. I have this thing all outlined out to the last chapter. I know where this is leading, as well as how far reaching Charly and Treaks ultimate goal really is.

Sorry, no baby. But no baby now does not necessarily mean that Orion and Katlin are doomed to a life of 'parentlessness'. Time will tell on that one. Although I think at one point I did say Orion had five children. Just that Katlin was not the mother.

Sweets: Sorry. Dinner with the parents would have been enough for me. Extended family get-togethers just make me nervous. Too many people.

Actually, I think you are referencing the chapter titled Potential. And boy, when you're right, you're right.

And when you're wrong, you're wrong.

First off, the title having anything to do with the movie? No. Sorry. The inside joke there was that I make it a policy whenever possible to never rename my chapters. That one was originally titled Potential Chapter Twenty-five due to the fact until the last minute I wasn't sure what order the last three chapters would go up in, so I temporarily numbered them to give myself an idea of one possible order. Liking it, (although it turned out to be utterly wrong for the flow of the story, as evidenced in this chapter especially), I left the title (sort of) on the one of the three I actually named.

And just for your information, yes, I see some potential for the movie. Although I still stand by my vote that Gary Oldman was a bad choice for Sirius. (But he runs into that 'incident' in two more movies, so what the heck!)

Now, on to 'when you're right, you're right'.

Man! Someone read between the lines big time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow! I haven't seen guessing this good in a while! You can just color me impressed.

You bet. What does this whole story boil down to? Who is Katlin more loyal to? Orion or Voldemort. And Katlin is sailing head long into having to make some very hard choices. The good news is, Orion (Mr. Troublewithrelationships) is going to help her with that decision. And that's all I'm saying.

Yes, the scene at the battle was a big time clash of wills, as well as the first sign of Katlin being forced to chose between the two men in her life. (Well, actually there is a third, but he doesn't count......much.) The first round in that fight went to Voldemort. And Orion is none too happy about losing. Time to get out your trusty old deck of cards and start looking for the aces, folks.

Ummmm, why would Orion having trouble with relationships mean Katlin may or may not be in his life any longer? He may have gotten better. *Cough*

Reviews are as of 12072003.

And remember;

Tact is for people who aren't witty enough to be sarcastic.


	36. Chapter TwentySeven: Where we're headedR...

A/N: This is a revised edition of the original chapter, posted because on occasion I miss something important and, by doing such, end up changing the whole meaning of the chapter.

If you are just that interested, the change you will find between the chapters is near the end, and involves changing the word 'had' to 'hadn't'.

For those who have the read the chapter already, save yourself the time and just read the last seven paragraphs again. 

Disclaimer: You know, after two year of doing this, it amazes me that you people haven't figured out yet that I actually am JK Rowling, and I have decided to start giving away for free that which I usually sell for more money then you will see in your lifetime and......*Breaks down into a giggling fit*...Oh dear! I'm sorry. I just knew I couldn't get through that with a straight face. 

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Where We're Headed

Despite her words, Orion couldn't help but see changes in Katlin over the next few weeks after her surgery. Physically she recovered well enough, but he wasn't so sure how she was handling things emotionally.

For starters, she out-rightly avoided ever going into the wing of the house where the nursery had been. If she needed anything from that part of the house, she sent Tets to get it. The rest of it she simply buried so deeply inside of herself, to look at her one would never know anything at all had happened.

Orion did his best not to interfere with how she chose to handle things. Richards had strongly cautioned him against trying to impose his views on her about the situation. 'Everyone handles things like this in their own way. So let her.' had been his warning. And Orion tried his best heeded it.

For himself, Orion took a more philosophical view of the whole matter. While he was disappointed, he was much stronger in favor of the 'planning' side of things. He, for one, had never intended to start his family out of wedlock. 'Right and proper' was the way to do things.

Something that was strongly on his mind one night as he rolled over on his back with a very contended sigh. 

As he lay staring at the ceiling a slim, white arm crept its way over his chest. Orion wrapped his arm about Katlin's naked shoulder and pulled her closer to him as she cuddled up against his body.

"Meitz!" He exclaimed softly with a light chuckle. "That was too good for words."

Katlin gave a soft, contented sigh of her own. "So I heard." She replied.

Orion sighed happily again as he let his body relax over the soft mattress beneath him. Making love with Katlin was almost always a uniquely pleasurable experience in and of itself. But sometimes it was just extraordinary.

Tonight it had been extraordinary.

What the woman could do with her body Orion swore half the world hadn't even thought of yet. All things she had conjured up just to please him. To make sure that when they had to part in the morning, the sole thought on his mind was how fast he could get back to her.

A determined hand with talented, well practiced fingers slowly slid up his thigh under the covers. Orion chuckled slightly.

"Why Ms. Griss." He commented as the nails lightly brushed over their destination. "I do believe you're trying to seduce me."

Katlin gave a lazy sort of half smile as she watched her hand's progress under the white satin sheet. "You think so?" she asked.

"I would hope so. Hate to think I've been wrong all these nights."

Katlin pulled herself up until she was leaning over him, a shower of dark auburn silk cascading over his face. "Well, I have news for you." She informed him. "You have been."

"I have?"

"Yes." Katlin replied, leaning down and kissing him lightly on the lips. "Because half the time it's been you doing the seducing, Mr. Black."

Orion smiled at her as she slipped back into his arms and happily cuddled back up against him.

They lay for a long while like that. Orion watched the sky slowly begin to pale with the coming morning. Early morning was rapidly becoming his favorite time of the day. When they would both wake up, but still have a good hour or more to simply spend together before either had to leave. Living together was definitely one of his better ideas. But it was still a bit incomplete to him. 

He sighed quietly at the thought, brushing a bit of the silk auburn hair back from his lover's face as he stared down at her.

"Katlin?"

"Hmmm?" Came the sleepy reply.

"Where do you think we're headed?"

Katlin shifted slightly so that she could see the window. "Well, it's not too late." She replied, turning to him with a eager smile. "How about round two?"

Orion laughed softly. "No." He corrected. "I mean.....from here?"

Katlin pulled up closer to him, lightly biting his ear. "Round two."

Orion eased her back. "I meant further than the next five minutes, Love."

Katlin sighed as she settled back into his arms. "What does it matter, Orion?" She ask. "We're together. We're happy. What does it matter where we're headed."

"Don't you ever wonder?"

"No." She replied, cuddling up to him again. "I'm happy right where I am."

"In the arms of your Auror lover?"

"Yup."

Orion gave a happy sigh as he nestled against her hair. "Who would have ever imagined we'd end up together, hey?" 

Katlin shrugged. "It's not so strange."

"Really?"

Katlin shifted again until she was laying back against her own pillows. "My Dad was a German and My Mum was English. Those two should never have gotten together. And they met during the war. But my Dad met my Mum, they fell in love, and politics be damned. They met, they fell in love, they got married. That was that."

Orion sighed contentedly as he closed his eyes, "Sounds nice."

Katlin caressed her hand slowly down his chest. "It was. They really loved each other."

"Maybe that's what we should do, Katlin." Orion suggested casually.

Katlin pulled up with a happy smile. "What? Love each other? Great! Round two!"

Orion just managed to grab hold of her to stop her from landing right on top of him. "No." He told her. "Not that. At least not now. I meant the other part."

"What?" Katlin asked. "Meet?" She grabbed his hand and quickly shook it. "Katlin Griss. Deatheater. Pleased to meet you. Wanna shag?"

Orion held her back again. "Noooo." He stated a bit firmer. "Keep going."

Katlin stopped in her attempts to jump her lover and slowly pulled back. "Orion, all that leaves is getting marr....." But Katlin stopped herself in mid-sentence.

Orion smiled at her. "There we go!" He announced happily as he watched the realitazation dawn in her eyes.

"You.....you want to........get married?"

"Why not?"

"Orion!" Katlin stated sharply, pulling up to her knees in the bed. "Will you be serious?"

"Sounds kinky." He replied. "Maybe later. Never knew you had a thing for my younger brother though."

"Orion!" Katlin stated again. "We can't get married."

"Why not?"

Katlin held her arm up, clearly showing the dark mark burned into the skin. "Helloooooo! Deatheater? Auror? Not a match made in heaven, Orion."

"Do you love me?"

Katlin stopped short as she stared back at the man next to her. Nothing but complete sober seriousness showed in his eyes past his love for her.

"Well?" Orion asked.

Katlin gave him a small smile. "You know I love you. Why do you ask me things like that?"

"Because people in love usually get married. But you seem less than enthusiastic about the whole idea."

Katlin through back the covers and quickly crawled out of the bed. "Everything to you is black and white." She stated, grabbing her robe off the small silk covered bench at the foot of their bed. "And I applaud you. If you can actually manage to live your life that way. But Orion, face facts. There is nothing black and white about our relationship. And in that we have to accept certain limits that it has. Among them, we can not be married."

"Why not?" Orion stopped her before she disappeared behind the bathroom door.

Katlin paused for a moment, clearly thinking over her answer. But finally she turned back to face him. "Because we can't."

Orion sat in the bed, facing the closed door with a deep frown. She hadn't thought that long just to say 'because we can't'. Whatever answer she had been thinking of, he hadn't gotten it. 

But he didn't feel he had to go far to find the answer she hadn't wanted to give him. It was the same answer that had been between them since the day they met. The same one that always stood between them. That steered her, manipulated her, and demanded everything of her to the point there was no room for anything...or anyone else in her life.

Voldemort.

A small smile crept its way across Orion's face as he continued to stare at the closed door.

She worshiped the man. Had willingly dedicated her life to him and his cause. But where would that faith be if she knew the truth?

The smile continued to spread.

She just needed to see the truth.


	37. Chapter TwentyEight

****

A/N: The first thing you may note about this chapter is that it has no title.

You might, if you are that bored, ask why.

Well, the point is this. When I gave this chapter a name, it was solely as a guidepost for myself. And in that, I gave it a name that told me exactly what was in the chapter so I didn't have to keep opening the file and looking.

As you know, I do not rename chapters. Once I name it, that's it. The chapter is stuck with that name. Little PAR quirk.

Well, I thought 'When he Tells Her' was a stupid name for the chapter, so I decided to just leave it un-named rather than spoil it for you right off the bat.

Also, you will likely not get anything more from me until after Christmas. Very busy time of the year for PAR. So, Merry Christmas, everyone. Have a safe and happy one.

My Christmas present to you is a nasty little cliffhanger (well, not much of one, really). 

And as always, 

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: As I sit here before my computer screen on this cold Winter night, I fervently wish I had JK Rowling's millions. But as it is, I am not her, and I can prove it. It's been 28 chapters, by my count, and absolutely NO ONE has died. So there! I am simply plagiarizing the snokkers out of JK Rowling's setting. However, I am making no money from this, and I work for the government. So there is really no point in suing me.

****

CHAPTER 28

Secrets.

That was what things boiled down to.

Too many secrets.

Orion sat in one of the many rooms of his family's estate, staring at the fireplace as the flames dances over the logs. The room was bathed in the soft orange glow, casting shadows about the room. Most of them danced about as animatedly as the flames in the fireplace. All except for one, which stood silently in the corner, making no move at all.

For a long time Orion took no notice of the shadow, concentrating all of his attention on the fire before him. bBut finally he closed his eyes as he laid his head back against the sofa.

"What is it, Bo?" He asked in a voice that reflected how tired he felt.

The boggart slowly came forward moving as silently as the shadows around it until it came to stand before the man on the sofa. 

"Well?" Orion asked.

The black robed figure went through a series of gestures with an almost disinterested mannerism, its gaze never leaving the man before it.

"That's it?" Orion asked in an irritated tone when Bo had finished. "You came all the way in here just to tell me everything's quiet?"

The boggart stood for a few seconds, its robe covered arms folded loosely in front of it. But finally it raised one of its hands and made a small gesture in the air.

Orion sighed and turned his attention back to the fire. "Nothing's wrong." He answered the boggart's silent inquiry.

The boggart repeated the gesture.

"I said nothing." Orion answered again.

The boggart paused, then carefully moved its position until it stood between Orion and the object of his attention, which was currently the fire.

Orion shifted his gaze to the figure before him. "Now you're just being an irritant." He told it.

The boggart held its position.

Orion quickly produced his wand. "I'm really not in the mood today, Bo." He informed it. "Move it or loose it."

Abruptly the shape before Orion shimmered slightly, then shifted until it became a small, black-haired child of about eight.

Orion frowned at the eager face before him, waving his wand at it. "Right. I won't talk to you, but you think I'm going to talk to my brother? And an eight year old version of him at that?"

The child promptly bolted for the sofa and launched himself up on it, coming to a perfect landing next to Orion. Two crystal blue eyes met the hard stare with an equally disarming smile.

Orion couldn't help but smile back at the small child. Sirius had been a handful when they were at school. Always getting into something that ultimately came back to Orion with the words "He's your brother. Can't you control him any better than this?" Orion had heard those words from everyone from classmates to teachers. And Orion had done his best to curb his younger brother's propensity for getting into trouble. But in the end, Sirius was Sirius, and that's just the way it was.

Hardly the shy eleven year old who had started at Hogwarts. In the beginning, Orion remembered hardly being able to pry his frightened younger brother off his robes to go to classes. The whole situation was to big and to new for Sirius to be comfortable in. And Orion was a reminder of the safety of home with all of its familiar surroundings. But shortly Sirius had begun making friends with another Gryffindor boy, and soon days would go by that Orion wouldn't see so much as the passing of his brother in the common room. 

But he heard enough to keep him company. 

An owl flying down the table at early morning breakfast was surely headed for Sirius. Too often Orion could hear the low, resounding tone of his father's voice as, in its usual calm, but firm tone, it admonished the younger boy over some transgression that had been reported to the elder Black.

Always planning. Always in trouble. Always entertaining. That was how Orion viewed his younger brother.

Until the day a tall, plain, mousy-haired young girl entered their lives.

She had absolutely enchanted Orion. Even though she was younger than him, she carried herself with a sophistication of someone several years older. Bright, dancing blue eyes had absolutely adored him. A quiet, reassuring voice had always been there to sooth away the failures. And two comforting arms always welcomed him into their embrace.

Until the eyes found someone new, and the voice spoke someone else's name, and the arms wrapped themselves about another's shoulders.

Orion quickly shook off the memory as it began to form the picture of his younger brother standing in the embrace of his one-time steady girlfriend. The tall, plain, mousy-haired Arabella Figg.

Orion turned his attention back to the small child sitting next to him. "Oh, just sod off, will you?" He stated, giving the child's hair a gentle ruffling. "Seven years of you around every corner were enough."

The child gave him a slight frown, then jumped down off the sofa and turned back to face him. A few seconds later the tall, black-robed figure took its place.

"You too." Orion told him. "You're not getting anything out of me, so you might as well go chase something else."

The boggart studied him for a moment, then abruptly it vanished without a sound.

The truth was, Orion had already made up his mind about how to handle what was currently on his mind.

Secrets.

Voldemort had been controlling Katlin for years with them. Feeding her his version of things. His truths. His lies. His twisted view of things. All in an effort to control her.

It was time to bring that control to an end.

"Now, Love, I need you to just listen to me. What I'm going to tell you is not going to be easy for you to accept."

Katlin sat on the sofa facing her lover, a mixture of curiosity and anxiety ruling her emotions.

She wasn't sure what it was he had wanted to talk to her about, but when she had arrived home that evening after several days away on a mission, she had expected his usual enthusiastic greeting. Instead she had met with a very pensive look and been directed into one of the back rooms where Orion had seated her on the sofa as he sat next to her. 

Katlin looked carefully over Orion's face, taking in every aspect of his features. She was looking for something, anything that would tell her the smallest hint of what he felt was so important. It surely couldn't be anything to do with his proposal. Orion was never one for revisiting subjects that ended in a manner less than what he had anticipated. And from his actions, she felt fairly certain he had expected her to say 'yes'. But the matter was done and over with. 

So this had to be something new. 

"Orion, you're frightening me." She said softly. "Whatever this is...., just tell me."

Orion took a deep breath. "Katlin, the story you told me....about your parents, the village where you lived, the man who came there........I did some checking into all of it."

Katlin's head shot up. "What?! Why?" Out of everything he could have brought up, this was the last thing she expected. For what reason? But a sudden thought struck her as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Surely you don't........you think I made that up?! Something that horrible? For what reason?"

Orion tried to calm her down. "No, Love. I didn't check into it because I didn't believe you. It was........the story seemed unfinished...for you. Your parents were killed by someone you never even knew the name of. Don't you want to know his name? The man who turned the villagers against your family? Who destroyed your world? Don't you want your revenge for that?"

Katlin felt something stir within her she had thought long dead. Something that she thought had left her the day Voldemort had showed her the remains of her village. The one he had destroyed to appease her need for revenge. 

So why did she still feel that same need rising up again at the thought of what had happened to her so long ago?

Katlin studied him for a minute. "And you found out who this man is?" She asked, her voice suddenly low and cold.

Orion nodded to her slowly. "Yes, Love. I found out who he is."

"You say 'is'." Katlin asked slowly. "He is still alive?"

"Yes."

The words drove a chill through her. Someone who should have been dealt with as the rest of them had. His very name wiped from existence. He survived?

Katlin's voice hardened. "He won't be for long. Tell me what his name is, so I will be able to carve it on his gravestone."

Orion paused for a moment. "I sent out some feelers, Katlin. One of them hooked onto a man who claimed he was a Deatheater all those years ago. A high ranking one."

"A Deatheater?" Katlin asked in surprise. "You're telling me a Deatheater did that to my family?"

"Katlin, just listen. Please."

Katlin settled back on the cushions. "Fine. It won't matter if the man was a Deatheater. An Auror. I couldn't care if he were an Elite. He will still be just as dead."

Orion fixed a solid stare on her, holding tightly to her gaze with his own. "Katlin, the man who came to your village, who turned the people against your parents and had them killed........was Voldemort."

Katlin was out of her seat so quickly Orion felt she was going to toppled the whole sofa over behind her. "What?!!!"

"Katlin, the man was......"  
""It was not!" Katlin nearly screamed at him. "Have you lost your mind to say such a thing to me. It was not him! I would have known!"

"How?" Orion shot back. "You had never met the man before."

"I would have known it after the fact. When I got to know him. I would have remembered."

"Katlin, listen to me."

"No!"

Orion grabbed her arm, stopping her from storming out of the room. He had to make her listen to him. He had to make her believe him. "Katlin, Voldemort had found out about you. About a very powerful young witch living in a small English village. You, Katlin. And the only things that stood between him and you were your parents. They already knew of him and what he was. They knew what he would do to you. And they tried to stop him."

Katlin pulled sharply against his hold to no avail. "No! You are lying!!!" She screamed back at him.

"Katlin, your parents gave their lives trying to keep you from becoming the very thing you are!"

Katlin pulled sharply away from him, breaking his grip on her arm as she turned about to face him, her face now streamed with tears. "You're wrong!" She screamed at him again. "You're lying. This.....this person....., your informant.......they're wrong! It's a lie! A horrible lie!"

Orion slowly shook his head. "No, Katlin. The man had no reason to lie to me. He had no idea why I wanted the information in the first place. To him it was just a story. Just repeating facts."

"They are not facts! They are lies! All of them. Voldemort......he would never have done such a thing. He loves me."

"Katlin," Orion said very slowly, holding her gaze as firmly as he held her arm still, "listen to me, Love. This man, my informant, gave me a piece of information. Something about you I'll wager very few people know. Likely only you and Voldemort. Anyone else who would have known is dead."

Katlin pulled hard against his grip, but Orion didn't let go. A cold fear seized her at his words. She only knew one secret she held that closely. One thing only two people knew. "What information?" She spat at him in a low, uncontrolled voice.

"Your name." Orion replied. "Before Voldemort took you from your village, your name was Hekren, not Griss. Griss was the name Voldemort gave you to keep anyone from finding you who might look."

Orion could feel the muscles under his grip loosen as the tension went out of them. Which was the last reaction he had expected to his news. He expected her to become angry. Even deny it. But not for the revelation to be a relief.

"Is that all?" Katlin stated formally. "My name?"

"It's not common knowledge, Katlin. If it was, you would have told me."

"You know nothing." Katlin spat back at him. "Nothing about me. Nothing about my master. You have been played for a fool. The fool you have always been to Voldemort. The only difference is now you are someone else's fool as well."

"Katlin, Voldemort wanted you because of your power."

Katlin gave a short, derisive laugh through her tears, shaking his hold finally off of her arm. "Power? What power? I wasn't a powerful witch, Orion. I was fourteen years old. I could heal cows."

"But you were growing up. You were getting stronger."

"Stronger? What? So I could heal bigger cows?"

"Katlin, your power was increasing. Voldemort could see the potential in you even if you couldn't."

Katlin shook her head, "No. You are wrong. You're lying. Voldemort could not have done such a thing. Not to me."

"Katlin, my informant had no reason to lie,"

"He did just the same."

"All right. You don't believe me? Go and ask Voldemort, Katlin. Go and ask him what happened in that village. Ask him if he killed your parents. You'll know if he's telling the truth."

Katlin started to say something, but stopped short. And for the first time, through the pain and confusion, Orion felt he was seeing the person beneath the hard, course exterior for the first time. A small glimpse of the little girl who use to delight so much in stopping the hail from destroying a neighbor's crop, or healing a friend's broken arm, or curing a sick cow. 

But the look quickly shifted as the fear and confusion shut it out.

Katlin slowly shook her head again as more tears brimmed over and cascaded down her cheeks.

Orion reached out to her, wanting nothing more than to take her in his arms and comfort her. 

But Katlin jumped back from his touch. A hand struck out and connected solidly with the side of his face.

"No!" She stated in a low, harsh voice. "Stay away from me."

"Katlin?"

But Katlin took another step back. "Stay away." Her voice took on a cold, dangerous tone. 

With one last warning look, she turned and hurried out of the room.

The last thing Orion heard was the slamming of the front door.

Katlin apparated away as quickly as she could. Her concentration was so off she ended up several miles still from her apartment, materializing practically right on the street and nearly into a wall.

Getting her bearings, she quickly headed for her apartment. She didn't stop running until she was inside her private sanctuary, with the door closed and bolted. 

She never imagined she would ever use her old apartment for the very thing Orion allowed her to keep it as. A safe place to run to. A comfortable, familiar place where she could shut out the world.

But that was exactly what she was using it for.

Curled up in the corner furthest from the door, she sat staring into the darkness. She had slammed the door closed behind her and placed more wards and charms on it than she even kept count of, finishing off with placing a silencing spell around the entire apartment. Her final attempt to shut out the world. If she couldn't see it, it couldn't intrude, And if she couldn't hear it, maybe she could just pretend it didn't exist.

Pretend that he didn't exist.

This was a lie. A nightmare. Some sick and twisted story Orion had come up with.

Voldemort hadn't killed her parents. He didn't turn the whole village against her family. He had not abducted her.

He loved her. He had rescued her. He punished those responsible for killing her parents. 

He took care of her. He raised her. He protected her. 

He loved her.

He would never have done such a thing. He would never had lied to her about it.

She wasn't a great witch. Her mother had even told her so. She was average at best. She had never had any formal training at that time. Surely she couldn't have done anything that attracted Voldemort's attention.

But if she had.........Katlin's thoughts took a sudden turn down an even more disturbing route. If she had.......then she was responsible for what happened. She was responsible for her parents deaths. She was responsible for her friends dieing. She was responsible for the annihilation of an entire village. Of her home.

No!

Those were his words. His lies. They weren't true. They weren't right. He had lied.

She had not killed her parents. She had not killed her friends. She had not brought the evil to their village. It had not come for her.

Katlin wrapped her arms as tightly about her knees as she could, burying her head in her arms and trying as hard as she could to shut the world out.

But try as she might, she couldn't shut out the thoughts. They chased themselves around in her head so fast that she failed to even notice the sun when it came streaming in her window. Or as it crept slowly across the floor. Or when it finally slipped back out the window and disappeared.

Slowly the room crept back into darkness, leaving her sitting just where she had been for nearly an entire day. Unmoving.

Katlin suddenly started as the clock on the wall chimed nine o'clock. She looked around the tiny room for a few moments as though she were unsure of where she was. But finally she buried her head back in her arms, pulling her body tighter into a ball.

How could he have done such a thing? 

Why?

He claimed it was only to help her. That he had meant no harm by it. He only wanted to show her the truth.

The truth.

Katlin scoffed at the thought. His truth. And they were all lies.

Or were they?

The idea came creeping back into her thoughts even as she fought to shut it out for the hundredth time.

What if they weren't lies? What if everything Orion had told her was the truth? What if Voldemort had killed her parents? 

What if, by his manipulation, she had become the very thing her parents died trying to save her from?

Lies!

Katlin firmly shook the thoughts off.

They were lies. Voldemort did not kill her parents. He did not steal her from her family.

He loved her. Protected her. Raised her. Taught her.

Made her what she was.

What he wanted her to be.

It wasn't true! It couldn't be true! He would never have done such a thing! 

He couldn't.

Katlin stared at the wall opposite her through tear stained eyes. She watched as the moon's light crept slowly across the floor before her. 

Someone had to know the truth. Somewhere in the whole of the world, surely there had to be one person who knew the truth.

She just had to think of who.

Katlin watched the moonlight through her window continue it's slow trek across her floor.

But who?

Who would be impartial enough to listen to her and tell her what she wanted to know without her trying to decipher what the person might stand to gain from telling her their version of things?

Who in the world would have nothing to gain or lose from the truth?

Voldemort had mentioned a wizard to her once. A man who, even in his opinion, thought misguided, was a wise man.

Currently he was a headmaster at a wizarding school. 

An old man her protector had called 'Dumbledore'.

****

Q&A

Sailor Sol: Heehee. Every now and then PAR comes up with a good line.

Well, I kinda blew everything you were hoping for out of the water here, Dear. He did tell her the 'truth'. It did create tension. And she is not likely to marry him in the near future.

PAR apologizes.

Still, have a merry Christmas, Dear.

Sweets: I'm still enjoying that trailer, by the way, Dear.

I am desperately trying to give Mr. Oldman the benefit of the doubt. But it is very hard. However, three weeks into the movie, I'll likely fall to the will of the movie mongrels and see no one else in the part but Gary Oldman.

Well, Voldemort doesn't have to keep winning, Dear. Orion pretty much just took himself out of the race, don'tcha think?

Resent her? Why should he resent her? Just because she turned him down? If anything, that'll just make him try all that much harder.

'Or if Harry meets her in the next story'. Now just STOP it. Right now! What have you done? Hacked into my computer? (Good trick, as that I am not on the internet.) So just.....just stop it! No more guessing out of you!

I doubt that Orion is high on Katlin's Christmas card list right now. Maybe on her 'to do' list.......but anyway.

Feel free to ramble away, Dear. Doesn't bother me at all.

And Merry Christmas.

Silverfox: Why would you have been able to be convinced until the fifth book? Aside from the fact I don't put in random 'incidents' for no good reason aside from shock value.

Charly as best man? That would remain to be seen. Wouldn't you think more Orion would choose his brother over his best friend? Charly might get second in line, but this is a tradition thing.

Voldemort give Katlin away? Nah. (Sell her maybe.)

Interesting mental picture though. A wedding hall filled with Deatheaters and Aurors there for a wedding.

I never really thought of Katlin as the Elites 'boss'. I just think of her as the highest ranking officer among the troops. But I guess that works.

And, of course, Treaks just thinks of her as that roadblock on his highway to advancement. 

Yes, indeed, Charly and Treaks could do the introductions.

Bo in the kitchen? Interesting thought. But I think he would more likely be among the honored guests if he didn't beat Sirius out as best man.

Nope. Not halved. The Power, as it resides in Bo, is still in tact as a single entity. Orion's father had planned to see that it was split between his son's on his death, when the Power had to go to a new host. But in the meantime, old Hershal came up with a better idea and........viola! Bo.

Boggarts under the bed? Cool! However, my cats still like to sleep under mine, so I'm pretty sure I don't have any. But given the choice, I'd take Bo.

Merry Christmas.

Skahducky: Poor Orion is destined to be childless for quite some time. Five kids don't come up until after Family Relations.

Well, it may be nice, dear. But at the present time it doesn't seem very likely.

Have a merry Christmas, dear.

All reviews are as of 12212003.

Happy winter solstice. 

And remember;

Be naughty. 

Save Santa a trip.


	38. Chapter TwentyNine: Seeking The Truth

A/N: Boy, I didn't expect to have such a split down the middle. Some of you liked the idea of Katlin going to see Dumbledore, others did not. For further comments see the Q&A section.

Oh, and folks, I would like to voice something on behalf of one of my poor, berated characters, who hasn't seen so much prejudging since you guys wanted to lynch Aaron Richards. WHY are you so set on assuming Charly is a bad person? What has he done to earn that?

*Hand goes up in the back* He's allied himself with a Deatheater Elite for starts?

O.K.. Fair point. But look at it this way. He did that because it was the only way he saw to keep his partner alive. And Charly did not ally himself with Treaks. He was partnered with him by the wizard in the north. NOT Charly's choice, folks.

So, folks, all I'm saying is remember the Aaron Richards incident, O.K.?

Also, Katlin going to Dumbledore is not a random act on my part, folks. It figures into later stories. (See, there really is a plot!)

So, Happy New Year, everybody!

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: For my New Year's Resolution I resolve to try and concentrate on only original work and to try and stop writing fanfict.........phfffft! Who am I kidding? Plagiarism hoooooooooooooo!

So back to my original disclaimer. Phfffft! Ha! Prove it! 

****

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Seeking The Truth

Katlin slowly approached the gates to Hogwarts Castle. She had never been anywhere even near the place in her life. Looking up at it she felt the imposing nature of its huge monolithic towers and stone walls. 

But even as she approached it, the castle seemed to reach out to her. To embrace her with a sort of warmth and welcome. She carefully fingered her pendent as she walked through the gates. Orion had once told her the pendant's charm would get her past the wards around the castle where no other Deatheater baring the Dark Mark would be able to pass. Much as it got her past the wards around his home. She felt a light tremor run through her body, but she was allowed to enter unharmed.

She slowly walked across the grounds, asking herself over and over what she was doing there. What did she hope to accomplish? To what end? Briefly she looked over the grounds around her. Everything was green and lush. Bright flowers bloomed in an open field whose brilliant colors could even be seen in the light of the nearly full moon.

Katlin wrapped her arms tighter about herself. She had made it onto the grounds. But how was she ever going to get into the castle itself?

"Here! Who's there?" A booming voice called out behind her.

Katlin nearly jumped right out of her skin. As she turned about to answer the call, she wondered how distracted she must truly be to have missed the towering figure approaching from her left side.

"What's your business here?" The man asked as he approached her, towering over Katlin by a good three feet or more.

Katlin had to find her voice before she could answer. "I....I've come to see the Headmaster." She finally managed to say.

"Professor Dumbledore didn't mention that he was 'spectin' nobody."

"I don't exactly have an appointment." Katlin replied.

"Not likely tah see the Headmaster neither." the man replied. "'E's likely off tah bed by now."

Katlin frowned. The man was not being helpful in the least. If anything, he was simply delaying her. "I've come a very long way to see him." She tried explaining. "I'm sure he'll see me."

"You'll have tah come back in the mornin'. Castle's closed up fer the night."

Katlin furrowed her brow. Morning was too late for her. She had to see the old wizard tonight.

"Look, Mr........?"

"Everyone just calls me Hagrid."

Katlin gave the man a tight lipped smile. "Very well..., Mr. Hagrid. In my robes I have a wand. If I pull it out, I assure you there will be.....difficulties."

The man had taken a few steps back as soon as she had started speaking. "Here now! Threats is it?! We'll just be seein' 'bout that."

But before the man made any further move, Katlin noted that he stopped himself, his gaze shifting quickly past her.

"Is there a problem, Hagrid?" A quiet, rasping voice asked from the darkness.

Katlin turned about abruptly to find herself practically face to face with a tall, thin, whimsical looking old wizard.

"Headmaster." Hagrid exclaimed. "This woman here said she needed to see you. Started makin' threats if I didn't take her to you."

The old wizard gave Katlin a gentle smile. "I'm sure there'll be no need for that, Miss Griss."

"You know me?" Katlin asked.

"Indeed. Your.....fame proceeds you, as am I sure it does in most instances."

"A cold comfort." Katlin replied formally.

"Well, I'm sure whatever matter brings you here must be of importance. And I'd be most happy to see you in my office if you'd care to follow me."

Katlin began to follow the old wizard, but he abruptly stopped and turned back to her. "I am afraid, however, I am going to have to ask you to turn your wand over to Hagrid. It won't be allowed inside the castle."

Katlin paused, her fingers tightening about her wand again. She felt positively naked without the thin sheath of wood somewhere on her person. But as she weighed surrendering her wand against the reason she had come to see the old wizard, she slowly found herself pulling it from her robes and handing it over to the large man on her left.

Dumbledore gave her a reassuring smile. "Hagrid will take good care of it." He told her.

Katlin said nothing to the half-giant. But instead gave him a very piercing look that warned him he had best do as the old wizard promised.

As soon as they got to the Headmaster's office, Katlin practically collapsed into the seat in front of his desk. She started talking before Dumbledore had even taken his own seat.

"I didn't come to cause you any trouble." Katlin began. "Nor did I come to cause any harm."

Dumbledore gave her a warm, pleasant smile. "And why would I suspect you came meaning either?"

"You know who I am." Katlin answered. "You know what I am."

"Yes." Dumbledore answered patiently.

"Then how can you imagine I came for any other purpose than on some mission from...from Voldemort?"

"Because I doubted very much, Ms. Griss, you would have come by way of the front door if you did. And since we have, in my opinion, established you did not, then perhaps we can get on to the reason you are here."

Katlin paused for a moment, thinking how to approach the old wizard. "Voldemort," she finally began, pleased to see Dumbledore did not flinch at the name as so many others were given to do, "has always told me that you were a very old, very knowledgeable wizard. The only wizard he knows of that was almost as powerful as himself. I have a question that I felt only he could answer, but that I can't take to him. Therefore, I reasoned, that the next best place to go was to the person nearly his equal in knowledge and power. That perhaps you could answer the question for me."

"If I can help you, Katlin," Dumbledore answered mildly, "I will. What is your question?"

Katlin took a deep breath. "I was told recently, by someone I trusted completely, that.....that someone I love, and care about a great deal......has betrayed me. That they have lied to me, destroyed my life, and manipulated me for years for their own goals."

"If you trust the person who told you this information, why did you come to me?" Dumbledore asked her gently.

"Because people are known, with the best of intentions, to be wrong." She replied. "But you have lived a very long time. You would have lived when this incident occurred. Perhaps you heard of it. You also know the people involved. Know their capabilities and demeanors." Katlin paused as she stared at the old wizard across the desk. "I need to know if what I was told was the truth."

"I think you credit me with more than is warranted." Dumbledore replied. "But as I said, I will help you if I can. Who are the people involved?"

"I am one," Katlin answered, "the other is the Auror, Orion Black, and the third.....is Lord Voldemort."

Dumbledore showed no surprise to anyone on Katlin's list. "Go on." He said simply.

Katlin recounted the story of what had happened at her village so very long ago to the old wizard. She then told him the information Orion had given her, struggling to make it through to the end. She closed with her own view of things.

"I simply don't know who to believe." Katlin ended finally. "Orion has never lied to me. But nor do I know that Voldemort has ever done so either. I simply can not imagine he would do such a thing. I can never imagine he would do such a thing. Killing my parents just to get to me. I wasn't that special. I was an ordinary witch. Not powerful. Not extraordinary. When it came to spells, I wasn't even that good. Why would he have done such a thing to get to me? I wasn't anyone special."

"I am sorry, child." The old wizard told her. "Where as your story is very sad, I have no knowledge of it myself, and therefore can not tell you if it is the truth or not. If you would like, I can check into the story for you. See if there are others who might know anything of the events."

Katlin paused, staring at her hands. "I don't even know if I want to know the truth." She said softly. After a few moments she turned her stare back to Dumbledore. "What if it is? Voldemort has been my family for all these years. Without him, I would have died. He has taken care of me, loved me, and protected me all my life after the death of my parents. He was the only one who cared. He asked nothing of me. He never asked, or demanded I become a Deatheater. That I serve him in return for what he had done for me. The choice was my own." Katlin turned back to her hands. "I don't know what I would do if I found out it was the truth." Her voice fell to nearly a whisper. "What if it is true? What if I am responsible for it all. All because he wanted me? My parents....my friends...my village....my home......all destroyed because of me."

"Katlin."

Katlin turned back to the old wizard.

"I don't know if I can answer your questions, child. And if I can, I can't promise you the answer will be the one you want. But there is one thing I can tell you now. That I can promise you without question."

Katlin looked up expectantly.

"Whatever happened in your village all those years ago...., whatever happened to your parents, or your friends, or your life, it was not your fault."

"You are wrong." The words were harsh and cold.

"How could you be?" Dumbledore ask her. "You had no control over anything that happened according to what you told me."

"It happened because of who I was. Because of what I was."

"And you couldn't change any of that. If Voldemort chose you, and took you from your parents based on some ability he saw in you that he wished to possess, how can you be made responsible for his actions? Or is he accountable for nothing in your eyes?"

"I......" But Katlin stopped abruptly, unsure suddenly of how to answer the old wizard.

Dumbledore studied the woman in silence for a few minutes. "Katlin." He finally asked her gently. "What is it you want of me?"

Katlin raised her head again to meet the old man's stare. "I want answers." She practically wailed, but suddenly stopped herself, then shook her head. "I'm not even sure I want that anymore." She sat in silence for several minutes, trying to recompose herself before she fell apart in front of the old man completely. Instead she focused her thoughts away from painful memories and on what the old wizard had ask her. What was it she truly wanted? To be happy living in blissful ignorance as she had been before. Adoring and living the guided life of the man who might have killed her parents? Or knowing the truth? Of having her world permanently shattered without any hope of rescue? Abruptly Katlin turned back to the wizard before her. "I want to forget this." She said quietly, but with a sudden conviction in her voice, she went on. "I want to forget everything Orion told me. That is what I want."

"A memory charm."

Katlin nodded. "I want my life back. Back the way it was. Uncomplicated. Before I met him. Before I cared about anything. When I knew what was right and wrong." Katlin closed her eyes with a soft sigh. "I just want things back the way they were."

Katlin was sure her request would meet with refusal. But at first Dumbledore didn't answer her at all, but only sat studying her for a moment.

"You're sure that is what you want?" He asked her finally.

Katlin nodded quickly. "That is what I want."

Dumbledore got to his feet and walked over to her. "Very well."

Katlin looked up at the old man in astonishment. "You would do it?" She asked. "Perform the memory charm?"

"Just as you have asked." Dumbledore replied. "However, I will not do it now."

Katlin got quickly to her feet. "Why not? This is what I want."

The old wizard met her hard stare with one of calm reassurance. "I am sure, Katlin, that at this moment you feel this is the answer to all your problems. Just forget them. But I ask you to stop and think for a moment what you are really asking for. The memory charm will remove all of your memories of Orion. Everything about him. Everything of his that has touched your life. Every person you knew through him. Every thing you know of because of him. Is that what you want?"

"I told y..........." But Katlin stopped abruptly as the old man's words worked their way about in her thoughts. 'Everything'. Every thing. Every place. Every......person.

"Perhaps," Dumbledore suggested, "we would be wiser to wait a short period."

Katlin's eyes slowly slid back up to meet his stare. "A short period?"

"Twenty-four hours. If you still want this done, come back to the castle tomorrow at this time and I will do as you have asked. If not, I would certainly understand."

Katlin's stare grew suddenly very hard and cold. "You understand nothing about me." She hissed back at him. "And I will be back here tomorrow at this time."

With an abrupt turn on her heel, Katlin stormed out of the room and off down the corridor. 

Everyone 'understands'. Everyone knew what she was thinking. How she should act. What she would say. What to expect of her.

How could they?

None of them understood anything. If they did, the old fool would have performed his spell right then and there. And in a matter of a few moments, it would all be gone. All the hurt. All the pain. All the memories.

All of it.

Katlin stopped abruptly in the corridor.

No. That wasn't what she wanted. Not all of the memories. Not yet. The old man had been right. She needed to see one person before this was done. One person who would make sure that Orion would accept her decision and not interfere. Or try and get her back. Someone who could make him accept that this was her choice, and he couldn't change it. She needed one ally on the other side of her memory.

And she knew just where to find them.

Katlin hurried down the corridor and down the stairs into the main foyer leading to the front doors. 

It wasn't until she reached them that she realized that Dumbledore had not followed her even out of his office. 

Surely there was some sort of escort. Someone watching her. 

Katlin looked all about the entrance, but couldn't see so much as a single other person there with her.

The old wizard had trusted her. Trusted she came only for the reason she stated and that she meant no harm to anyone within his castle.

Katlin turned finally and opened the front doors, quickly heading for the gates. Standing there waiting for her was the tall, portly man she had first run into. He handed her wand back to her as she approached, but never said so much as a word to her. If anything the man seemed to want nothing more than to see her leave.

"Thank you." Katlin offered in an icy tone as she reclaimed her wand. 

As soon a she was outside the gates she quickly apparated back to her home. She had only twenty-four hours to accomplish her goals. And time was already ticking away from her.

****

Q&A

Silverfox: You're usually first, Dear. I'm not sure how that is working out.

Right you are. How could I have forgotten? I have indeed wiped out an entire village in this story. And, of course, Katlin's parents. But both of those happened before the story started. So technically they do not count. Other than that I know of no characters that have died since chapter one. 

And I would like to point out here that all you have for proof Voldemort did any thing so far relayed in the story is the word of an informant, who was told the story by a man who got his story from Charly. And I would HIGHLY recommend you go back and read the last part of that chapter again.

Tell you a really good story? Dear, I would be hard pressed to convince anyone I am JK Rowling. My bank statement would make a liar out of me every time.

Orion and Sirius have a few issues between them currently to be sure. And I'm not saying for sure they would all be put aside for the sake of tradition. So, PAR bites the bullet and admits she may have told a fibby. (Or foreshadowed more than she should have. Go see nessie's answer.) Orion would likely have chosen Charly over Sirius for best man. But the point is kinda moot now anyway.

I don't know that Bo would be thought of by Orion as a brother. But definitely as a friend and mentor. Remember that it was Bo who was the first real teacher of magic that Orion had. That was bound to form some sort of impression on the boy.

Kind of a toughy there, trying to think of what would frighten both Aurors and Deatheaters equally. But I would, in fact, not see Bo interrupting the wedding of his current host/channeler. Orion getting married insures (sort of) a child. Continuation of his host-families line. And another child assures him he will have a new host to go to when his present one dies and he won't be forced to die with it. So I would think old Bo is doing everything but acting as Yenta to see Orion settling on a female of his species to be with. Think about that.

Ummmm....., you're trying to get your horse under your bed, Dear? Sort of an odd way to spend your weekend, but what you choose to do in your spare time is really none of my business.

Boy! I love this last part.

Yes, Dear, Dumbledore would be absolutely neutral. Especially with Katlin. Believe me, the last thing you want to do with a distraught person, is to try and get them to see the error of their ways according to you. They are not interested in what you have to say. The best thing to do is exactly what Dumbledore did. Sit. Listen. Console. 

Also, more than anything, Katlin was looking for a shoulder to cry on. Who could she go to? 

Her best friend is dead. 

Orion she wants to kill. 

Voldemort? I think not.

Johnathan? Be serious for a moment.

Well, that about clears the list.

She is also positively fanatical to know if the story is true or not. Although by the time she left the castle she didn't much care anymore. She just wanted to forget it....literally.

Besides, if Dumbledore wasn't neutral third party, my story would be in trouble.

nessie: Hello, Dear. I did wonder where you went off to, but I try not to badger people about reviewing. Although I do greatly enjoy reviews, if you stop, I assume you simply have nothing to say.

But it is nice to have you back.

Voldemort is a murderer? Says who? Go read Silverfox's answer, Dear. I have a few thoughts on that one.

Boy! Everyone really jumped on the 'best man' bandwagon here. And PAR has admitted she may have spoke too soon on that. At the PRESENT moment, yes, Orion would likely pick Charly over Sirius. But cut me a break. I know things you guys don't yet. Sometimes that leads me to foreshadow in ways I don't intend.

By the way, yes, James Potter is alive in this story and has a bouncing baby boy on the way. But he is irrelevant to this plot and is, therefore, not mentioned.

At this point in time, Sirius would likely pick a dozen rabid cannibals with bad breath and poor hygiene to serve as best men at his wedding before he would pick his older brother.

Now see, you are one of the people who had no trouble seeing Katlin going to Dumbledore for advice. And as I said in my author's notes, that figures into later stories.

What Voldemort actually said was that he was a wise, 'but misguided' man.

Aside from that big bulls-eye he has painted on his back.........what makes you think Dumbledore is going to bite it before the end of the series?

This story was NEVER intended to challenge Family life. But it is currently approximately 50,000 words longer, and I am desperately trying to end it before it makes chapter 50. I never want to write a story with 50 chapters. Possibly the story will be divided into two parts. Or something else may happen that has yet to be decided. You want a nice forewarning? This story may not get finished. At least not on Fanfiction.Net. I may have to pull it due to over interest by a third party for option. (If you know anything about publishing, you'll know what that means. Aside from it meaning PAR is looking for more ways to get her arse into trouble.)

So how far are we? Hard to say. I know how long this was suppose to be, which should have ended it a lot of chapters ago. But I keep coming up with little additional chapters I want to add, and so things get expanded. If you want some good news, this thing is likely going to be dwarfed by Family Relations, which is running near equal in chapters and isn't half way done. It's a fun little story and I am enjoying working on it immensely.

Poor Katlin needs to get a grip? Her whole world just fell apart, Dear. She is staring down the barrel of the possible reality that the man she has loved and thought of as a parent is, in fact, responsible for everything that happened to her, and has manipulated and lied to her all these years. She is also facing the possibility, in her mind, that everything that happened was due to her and what she was. That's an awful lot to take in and remain on an even keel.

Curious question. when you say 'she shouldn't think that he didn't do it. Doesn't she know him already', are you speaking or Orion or Voldemort? I found it interesting I could apply that statement to either of them.

Anyway, nice to have you back, Dear.

Skahducky: BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Bells and whistles proceed to go off and confetti flies everywhere*

And we HAVE a winner, folks.

Actually, that is one of the reasons. There are actually three. Oh, and here, Dear (*), have a gold star. Haven't given one of those out in a while and my store house is piling up.

Voldemort is not at the peak of his power here, Dear. He's getting there, but he's currently little more than the person of whom people say, 'Oh, Voldemort is at it again' when something happens. An irritant to be sure, but the Ministry isn't much worried....yet. And I don't mean to trivialize things. There is a war going on to be sure. It's just it's currently at the point where people don't really see it as a reason to change their daily routine right now.

I don't know about how willing Dumbledore would be to give everyone a second chance, although I would tend to lean to the side that says he would listen to Rush Limbaugh if he seemed earnest enough about it. But Dumbledore isn't seeing this as whether or not he should listen to an Elite. He is looking at it as a very distraught young woman coming to him and asking for help. He's really not interested in the politics of it right now.

Turn her into a spy? Phffffft! Have better luck turning Snape into a headmaster. (Actually, Katlin already is a spy if you want to get technical about it.)

Sailor Sol: How is poor Bo getting the brunt of everything, Dear? I thought he kept a pretty low profile all in all.

Is sorry, my preciousssssss. Yesssss, we is sorrry. But is not bad, Charly. No. Not evil. Not bad. Is kind to us, my precioussss. Is good. Is............oh, sorry. Don't know what happened there.

Happy New Year to you too, Dear.

Semmel: Roll! There you are. Thought I lost you.

I always enjoy looking over the writing meal table of life and seeing a dinner roll sitting there.

The interesting part here is that currently, Voldemort has no idea what's going on between Orion and Katlin really..........and is likely to be somewhat disappointed when he finds out.

I am glad you liked my little stream of consciousness thing going on there at the end. It was not easy to write, get all the points in, and have it make sense. I do much better with dialogue then just about anything else.

Reviews are as of 12262003.

And remember, 

Live life the easy way.

Two days out of the week, let your body be a temple.

The other five, an amusement park.


	39. Chapter Thirty: It's All Really A Bit C...

A/N: *PAR comes out and sits down*

So, wondering where I've been?

Why I haven't posted in two weeks?

What I've been up to?

Well, I'll tell you. I am very happy to report that after two weekends of work, my little corner of the world (where I live) is a little bit cleaner than it use to be. I'm very pleased with myself.

*Hand goes up in the back*

Yes?

*Reader stands up* Sooooooooo, what you're telling us is that you haven't posted in two weeks........., because you were cleaning your house?

Yeah. That's pretty much it.

*PAR gets dragged out back and is promptly slapped around with a lot of wet noodles*

Seriously, I'll tell you straight up, folks, this is not the best thing I have ever written. But I will defend it by saying this was without a doubt the hardest chapter for me to write. And once you read it, decipher it, then play it backwards on your old record player, I think you'll understand why.

Trying to get the point across in this chapter was a BUGGER! I could have worked on this thing another year and not gotten it down to what I wanted. But hopefully, it's understandable. If not, I'll be glad to write a summary for you.

Also, folks, I didn't have a lot of time to spell check this, so bear with me on this.

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Folks, let's face it. Call it for what it is. Plagiarism. Plain and simple. But it's a fun, naughty little plagiarism which hurts no one and many enjoy. And for that reason, and not money, do I put in seemingly endless hours for your entertainment. All I ask in return is a small alter, a few candles...the usual.

****

Chapter Thirty: It's Really All A Bit Confusing

From the castle, Katlin hurried as quickly as she could back to the Black estate. There was only one person she felt could handle her old lover if things got messy. But how to get him to agree to meet with her in private was the problem.

Katlin carefully worked the problem over in her mind as she made her way back to the house. By the time she arrived she felt she had a fairly well laid out plan ready.

Easily vaulting the fence, she quickly altered her appearance from anything even close to the one she currently wore, and began making her way through the woods around the house. She didn't even try to be clandestine about it. Orion had too many traps set up that worked at catching those who were trying to sneak towards the house. The way to avoid them, she had learned, was to move past them like you knew they were there, but just didn't care. 

That got her past the more static of his traps. 

But it was the more versatile one that she would have trouble with.

The one she feared the most.

And the one she had come to meet.

As soon as she had past the last of the traps she knew of, she heard a noise off to her side from a denser part of the woods. An old fear seized her. One she had never been able to control. Even though she knew what was coming, and had a plan to deal with it, she still couldn't seem to quell the fear that rose up as a second sound grabbed her attention. 

Soon the noises were coming from all around her. She was surrounded. She could tell by how the sounds moved. But she kept moving towards the house.

Present a threat. That was the only way to get her target to show itself.

Within a few minutes, she saw the first of them, coming from out of the cover of the trees. A tall figure in black robes. She didn't have long to study him as a second, third, and fourth soon joined him. 

Katlin quickly reverted back to her more familiar appearance. But the figures approaching her seemed to care very little for her sudden change as they continued to approach her, wands drawn and pointed at her.

"Bo!" Katlin cried out, raising her head and shouting at the sky. "Stop this. I'm Katlin. You know me. I mean no harm. Stop this now!"

Katlin seized hold of her fear as best she could., trying to force it down and stay focused on the task at hand. 

'Don't attack.' was what Orion had always told her. To Bo, this was only a game. He wouldn't really hurt her. He just wanted to scare her.

Good job.

Katlin fell back against a tree as the four figures continued to advance on her. Her fear was rising up again. If she didn't stop this soon, she wasn't sure what might happened. Instinct, likely, would take over for her, and she would attack. The one thing Orion said would put Bo into 'full defense mode' as he called it. Like the other traps, if you didn't act guilty, most of the spells protecting his house were benign to you. But if you fought back or attack them, that was when the trouble started and he was alerted to the problem. And the last thing Katlin wanted was to have Orion alerted to someone being on the grounds. Let Bo tell him later. She didn't care then. Soon she wouldn't care about anything involving that man anymore. 

But this she had to do. She needed her ally.

"Bo! Stop!" Katlin cried out again. "I'm Katlin. I mean you no harm."

The figures continued to advance, wands drawn.

Katlin closed her eyes. Don't look and it wasn't as frightening. 

But still, she knew they were there. Real enough to her. She felt her knees give way under her as she sank against the tree. Her hand involuntarily went for her wand. The fear was winning. She had to put a stop to this. And she had to do it now.

Summoning up every last ounce of her courage left, Katlin pulled herself sharply back to her feet and confronted the figure directly before her with a pointed finger.

"Bo, stop this now!" She demanded in a surprisingly unwavering voice. "I haven't time for your games. I need to talk to you."

The figure before her looked stunned for a moment. The abruptly, it vanished, taking its cohorts with it.

Left in the aftermath of the vanishing figures, stood the familiar mass of black robes. Katlin managed to dispel her growing fear and force a small smile by imaging what the boggart might look like if he would allow her to dress him in something less frightening. Like blue robes, for a change.

"Now, that's better." Katlin said through her smile. "You were being very naughty continuing your game as long as you did. You knew who I was. You just wanted to play."

Orion had given her a crash course a few weeks prior on how to deal with his enigmatic boggart. And dealing with Bo was all in how you talked to him, Orion had explained. Treat him like you would a small child. Reprimand him gently, praise him loudly. That was what worked best. And over the past few weeks, Katlin had, in fact, spent a good deal of time with Bo, learning how to communicate with him. She figured that for Orion that was the last challenge to their relationship. Would Bo accept her as a permanent part of Orion's life ?

At first things had gone slowly. Katlin couldn't quite dispel her fear and Bo couldn't quite get the hang of having another person about who he could just 'talk' with. Orion was his friend. His contact with the outside world. The only one he seemed to need. The rest was just for playing with.

But now there was suppose to be another. Someone else he was suppose to relate to as just another person. Someone who was to be listened to, not just played with. 

For Bo it was getting all very confusing.

Something Katlin seemed to instinctively understand and worked it to her advantage in the relationship. She never pressed the boggart, always taking things very slowly with him and backing off quickly if he ever seemed to be getting overwhelmed with this new person being brought into his life. A scene that played out like any good three year old having a temper tantrum. Things would be progressing smoothly, as Orion would stand in acting as translator for Katlin when she talked to Bo. But inadvertently she would do something, or say something that, for whatever reason, Bo didn't take to well. Usually it was her refusal at times to answer some of his questions. With little warning the boggart's whole composure changed. His gestures became more pronounced and agitated. At times Katlin had even seen him stomp his foot and cross his arms over his chest and refuse to speak to her anymore. 

'A typical three-year-old', Orion would chastise him with. 

But Katlin always tried to make peace. Whereas Orion advocated for allowing the boggart some time to 'decide to behave properly', Katlin tried at such times to smooth things out with him. To make him understand why she wouldn't answer a question, or do what he asked. Sometimes it worked, other times she found herself being led out of the cellar by Orion while he explained to her that Bo was just getting too agitated to continue.

'It's all in how he lives', Orion had explained to her the first time he had led her out of the cellar on one such occasion, when she had protested leaving the boggart alone and seemingly angry at them. 'Bo, for whatever he is, was brought here by my family. It's not his home from what I can tell from him. It's too 'solid' he says. Too many barriers. And he gets frustrated by things being so different. But mostly by those around him. Sometimes by what we tell him that he can't understand, and other times just by what we do. We don't behave the way he thinks we should sometimes. We do things he doesn't understand and give no reason for them. And when things get to that point, all he really wants is to be alone. Think of it as an 'information overload' for him. He just needs some time alone to sort things out.'

Whatever the reasoning, the cure seemed to work every time. Whenever they returned to the cellar, the boggart was by then his usual passively happy self and no mention was ever made by him of the previous incident. 

And this time the calm approach worked its magic on the boggart. The figure under the robes slouched slightly under her gentle chiding, but just as quickly turned back to her and ran through a quick series of gestures. 

Katlin followed the movements with undivided attention. One of the things that seemed to aggravate Bo the most was asking him to repeat things. She wasn't sure why this particular request sat so badly with the boggart. But usually she couldn't get in more than three requests before he got frustrated with the whole thing.

"Bo," Katlin answered him in the soft, comforting tone she had found he seemed to like hearing her use best, "you have to go slower for me. Please."

It wasn't what you said, Orion had instructed her, it was how you said it. She wouldn't ask him to repeat himself, but just to go slower.

The boggart seemed to consider the request, then carefully repeated the gestures, though this time much slower.

"Ah." Katlin breathed with a sigh of relief. "What am I doing out here?"

The boggart nodded.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you , Bo."

The boggart pointed towards the house. But Katlin shook her head.

"No. Not at the house. Out here. I wanted us.......I wanted it to be just you and me."

The boggart stood still for a moment, then made a gesture with his robe-covered hand of a small circle.

Katlin sighed again and sat down on a log behind her. Bo mimicked her, choosing a small stump as his chair. Well, this was going better than she hoped for so far. He was willing to listen to her.

Now the problem was what to tell him so he would understand.

"Bo," Katlin started carefully, "you know how............Orion...or I tell you something.....and it confuses you sometimes?"

The boggart nodded.

"And when that happens, you prefer it if everyone just leaves you alone for a while, so you can sort things out on your own?"

The boggart nodded again.

Katlin smiled as she took a slow breath. "Well, something like that has happened to me, Bo." She went on. "Someone told me something; something that has...confused me a great deal."

The boggart went through a series of pronounced gestures.

Katlin followed each movement, then shook her head. "Well, that's part of it." She replied. "But Bo, sometimes.....time alone.......that isn't enough to make things right. Sometimes, what you're told is so confusing for you, all you want to do is just forget it. Do you understand that?"

The boggart made no move, but Katlin would have sworn she could practically smell the smoke as the boggart filtered through what she was telling him. Or trying to tell him. One thing Katlin had found out about the boggart early on was that no matter how hard she tried, surprisingly, he was not easy to lie to. She thought, in fact, he could probably teach a few Aurors how to properly read people. She had tried over and over again to sneak a lie past him, trying to decipher some tone or movement or gesture as to how he picked lies out so accurately. But the talent seemed to be a purely natural one to him. Especially with her.

"Bo," Katlin tried again, "this thing I was told...it wasn't a good thing."

The boggart interrupted her with a quick gesture. Katlin barely caught it in time to translate it in her mind.

"Well," She said slowly, thinking over her answer carefully, "sometimes people tell you things carelessly. They don't think how it's going to effect you. They tell you with good intentions. But it doesn't come out that way for you. And what they tell you changes your whole world. And once it's changed, you can't go back to the old one. Not unless what that person told you........you could just erase. Forget it completely. Do you understand that?"

The boggart nodded.

"That's what I want to do, Bo." Katlin explained to him. "What I have to do. I want to go back to the way things were. But in order to do that I have to forget what this person told me. And I met an old wizard tonight who said he would do that for me. Make me forget what I was told. Do you understand that?"

Bo slowly nodded.

Katlin was pretty sure he didn't get the whole picture yet. And she wasn't looking forward to the time when he did.

"Bo, in order for this spell to work, I have to let go of everything connected to what this person told me. And that would mean........forgetting some things that, although I may not want to, and it may hurt to not have them in my life anymore, there is really no choice."

The boggart stared silently back at her.

"One of the things I have to let go of, Bo," she told him gently, "is my life here."

The boggart stared at her silently, but then made a small, slow gesture in front of her.

Katlin watched the form take shape at the tip of his hand. But before he was even halfway through it, she knew what the question was.

Katlin turned slowly back to him. "Yes." She answered his silent question. "Orion is one of the things I have to forget."

Bo made another small gesture.

Katlin paused before answering. She honestly had to think about what to say to that particular question. But finally she shook her head at him.

"It doesn't matter what I want." She replied. "It is simply what has to be. Sometimes you don't have a choice, Bo. Or at the very least, of what you have to choose between, neither selection is very enticing. So you have to pick the least painful one for everyone."

The boggart made a quick gesture that she barely had time to catch. But slowly she nodded with a sad smile. "Yes. That is what this is for me, Bo. I have to choose what hurts everyone the least."

The boggart stood silently in front of her. Katlin could tell just from his stance she wasn't getting through to him completely. And she had no way of knowing just how much the boggart really understood and how much he was just placating her by telling her he understood.

But it didn't really matter, she told herself. She didn't need him to understand completely. Just enough to agree to do what she ask.

"Bo," she went on, wanting to move quickly away from the last subject and get to the real purpose of the meeting, "I need you to do something for me."

The boggart made a quick, single gesture. One Katlin knew well enough to be able to decipher no matter how quickly the boggart made it.

"Bo, Orion is more likely than not going to be unhappy about this decision. And he'll want me to change my mind about it."

The boggart suddenly got to it's feet and, bouncing all the while, went through a series of gestures.

Katlin frowned at the statement. "No, it is not a good thing!" She stated a bit harsher than she meant to. But she quickly amended her tone. Getting angry would not help her reach her goal. "Bo, I need you to listen to me for a moment. And try to understand."

The boggart assumed such a pose that Katlin was sure if he was a regular person with a face he would be leaning forward, staring at her with wide-eyed anticipation.

"Bo, do you know what a Deatheater is?" Katlin asked. She didn't really expect an answer. She had often asked the boggart things of this nature, which he usually ignored. But to her surprise, this time the hooded head nodded in answer. It also made her a bit cautious about her next statement. What if Bo didn't like Deatheaters?

"Bo, do you know that I am a Deatheater?"

For several very long seconds Katlin waited for some response. But finally the boggart moved, extending his hand and pointing a robe-covered finger at her arm. Katlin subconsciously covered the mark with her other hand as she waited to see if the boggart would do anything else. But Bo only lowered his hand eventually, and appeared to wait to see what else Katlin had to say.

"Bo, you understand that Orion is an Auror? And that Aurors and Deatheaters.....don't get along very well?"

The boggart made a series of gestures, finally ending by clasping his two covered hands together in front of him as he stared expectantly at Katlin.

"Well, yes," she agreed, "Orion and I do get along. But Bo, once the memory charm is done, and I don't remember Orion anymore, what do you think would happen if we ran into each other then? What do you think would happen?"

The boggart thought for a moment, then made a series of gestures leaving very little open to interpretation.

"And that's what the situation will be, Bo, if the old wizard does the memory charm and I run into Orion after that.' Katlin tried to explain. "I won't know him. I'll just see an Auror. Not someone I used to know. And.....I might hurt Orion. Do you understand that?"

The boggart quickly nodded.

"And I don't want to hurt him, Bo. Not for anything in this world. But....he's a stubborn man. And he is likely to try and come after me. He'll want me to change my mind."

The boggart again went through a series of gestures. Each one agonizingly slow even to Katlin, as though he wanted to make sure she didn't miss anything. When he finished, Katlin frowned at the question. They had already been through this.

"Bo, it's not a question of what I want, or what Orion wants. It is simply the way things have to be. All I am asking of you, is to make sure Orion doesn't try to come after me. That he stays away. Because if he doesn't, and he gets too close, I will try to hurt him, because I won't remember him. Do you understand?"

Bo paused for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"And will you do what I asked then? Will you make sure he doesn't come after me?"

The boggart made a small series of gestures, which Katlin smiled at slightly.

"Well, 'trying' is all I'm really asking, Bo. We both know what Orion can be like when he gets an idea in his head. And if he tries to come after me, you tell him what I told you here tonight, all right. I won't be mad if you do. Maybe he'll understand if he hears that I don't want him to interfere in this in any way."

Katlin waited to see what the boggart would say to her request. For a very long time he seemed to simply stand and ponder the request she presented to him. But finally he stirred in a series of gestures again. Katlin watched the elaborate designs, sighing to herself halfway through them. She had seen them twice before already and she couldn't understand why the boggart kept coming back to this particular question.

"Bo," Katlin explained again, trying to keep her tone conversational against her rising agitation at the boggart's seeming refusal to understand the concept she was presenting to him, "we're not going to go over this anymore. Now, this is not an easy decision, nor is it one I want to make. But it's one that I have to."

The boggart seemed to think the statement over, then made a small, slow gesture in front of himself with one hand.

"I don't know." She replied softly. "Part of why I need this time, Bo, is to decide that. But right now I don't know if I can come back. Things.....they're just too confused for me right now."

The figure slumped under its robes again.

Katlin gave him a sympathetic smile. "Hey, I'm not leaving you." She told him. "And it isn't that I wouldn't want to come back."

The boggart's head suddenly snapped back up as he stared at her. Apparently she had said something he liked. A sudden flurry of gestures followed as Bo tried to communicate with her. But Katlin found herself only getting every other word. And when she put them together it didn't make much sense to her. All she could gather of his words was something about her not having to leave. 

Katlin shook her head at the statement. "No, I have to go, Bo." She replied. "You just do what I ask, All right. You keep Orion safe."

The boggart paused for a moment, but then slowly he reached out towards her, moving slowly closer to her until his hand rested gently against her cheek.

At first it was all Katlin could do to fight back the urge to duck away from the hand. The boggart had never once tried to touch her. She had, in fact, never seen Bo touch anyone. Not even Orion. He hovered. He followed. He circled. But he never touched anyone. And she wasn't at all sure of what to expect from the touch.

But the instant the cloth of the robes brushed against her skin, it was like all her fears were brushed away with it. A warm, peaceful sensation swept through her body, like the feeling just before she fell asleep at night. Nothing in the world mattered in that moment and all she wanted to do was surrender to the feeling that is pulling her into sleep. 

Wrapped in that seductive, disarming feeling, Katlin suddenly heard the soft trilling of the boggart. She fought to etch a frown across her face, but couldn't quite manage it. Why would he be happy suddenly? Or perhaps the trill meant something else. Perhaps it was his only way to communicate with others. Perhaps it was his way of saying goodbye.

What seemed like an instant later, Katlin realized the feeling was gone. she abruptly opened her eyes and looked about. She wasn't standing on the grounds of the Estate anymore. She was standing next to the wall she had vaulted earlier to get onto the grounds. Checking her surroundings more carefully, she tried to remember how she had gotten there. But the last thing she could remember was staring into the blackness beneath the hood of the boggart as it leaned towards her. And then everything around her had been engulfed in that blackness. The next thing she recalled was standing where she was now.

Well, Orion had indicated the boggart knew some magic. Apparently he knew how to apparate someone. There really wasn't any mystery there. The only unanswered question for her was 'why'. Why hadn't the boggart just let her leave on her own?

Shaking her head, Katlin turned and headed towards the roadway and the anti-apparation barriers. A good part of the night was gone and she still had a great deal of work to do before returning tot he old wizard at the castle. 

****

Q&A

nessie: I missed answering something for you last time, Dear. Yes, Orion was originally sorted into Slytherin. That went over with dear old dad like a lead balloon, who promptly grabbed Sorting Hat by its tattered brim and had a few words with the uppity little bowler, thereby getting his pride and joy re-sorted. Seeing the potential for a longer life, the Sorting Hat promptly sorted Orion into Gryffindor.

You don't think Orion tries to make everyone see things his way? I think he's a perfect Gryffindor in that respect. In every other? Slytherin. 

I have huge bets riding on Hagrid to bite it before the end of the series. But then again, I'm betting just about everyone bites it before the end of the series.

Fanfiction.net has their issues, to be sure, Dear. And I have numerous e-mails to them stating my opinion of a few of their policies. However, I will still throw my vote their way for fanfiction site-of-the-year far over FictionAlley, which can't seem to get their act together to save their lives.

Mean. Vicious. Whatever. you bring up valid points, Dear. To many, I am sure Katlin's solution seems a bit drastic. But haven't you ever wondered how much easier things would be if you could just forget the things that bother you and go on from there? Life would be a lot easier. And Katlin doesn't see any other option. If she continues as things are and faces what she believes is the truth, her whole world is destroyed. So she's taking the only route she feels she can live with.

True, Katlin doesn't know that Dumbledore doesn't understand. She never went to Hogwarts, and so she doesn't know the man past what stories Voldemort has told her about him. (Very bright, very powerful, very misguided). But she isn't looking to do his autobiography. She just wants him to do what she has ask, and likely doesn't care if she ever sees him again.

Don't feel bad about the reviewing thing, Dear. This story runs about ten to one hits to reviews. What does that tell you?

Chapters are nothing, really. Its words that count (in so many ways). Or more, it's 'word counts' that matter. for me, fifty is just a sort of magic number for scaring away readers. A large part of why Family Life ended at forty-nine. What it does for this story is you'll start seeing the chapters get longer as I strive to end it before that magical number. Does that mean I will never write a fifty chapter story. No. I just don't plan it that way. But I'm not going to write a chapter forty-nine that is thirty-seven pages long to avoid it either.

Silverfox: If I were Orion, I would go about choosing my enemies very carefully in this matter. Hating Dumbledore will not get him very far.

For the fifty chapter story aversion, go see the last part of nessie's answer. It's just one of my quirks. Like that not liking to change chapter titles thing.

*Slaps forehead* Oy! How did I forget that?! Indeed, four people have out-rightly died in this story. My mistake. It was late. What can I say?

O.K., the Voldemort thing. Guys, think of it this way. Say there's someone out there who is robbing banks. And they rob a LOT of banks. Now, everyone knows they're robbing banks, because it makes the news. But how does their robbing the bank really effect you? Every body knows, very few really care, and the rest feel it's SEP. 

Why is Katlin so well known? She's been driving the getaway car, so to speak. In other words, if Voldemort is there, usually, so's Katlin. So she's getting just as much press coverage.

Bo understands a lot more than people give him credit for. And yes, he understands the importance of a wedding and the potential results of the institution. Mostly in how it benefits him.

Well, you got to see how Bo would react to that.

Tracie: I'm very pleased you like my stories, Dear. Always good to know there's a reader out there somewhere.

As for the 'who's bitten the dust since page one' issue, I have been adequately chastised for not knowing my own story very well.

Skahducky: Is Katlin going to go through with the Memory Charm? So far, it looks that way. 

Dumbledore would not put such a fail-safe into the charm. That would be betraying Katlin's faith in his doing what he promised to do and letting the decision be her's.

Hints as to why Sirius and Orion don't get along? All but one of the three has been mentioned, Dear. They just weren't spelled out.......with accompanying pictures. But if you wish; one, Orion was sorted into Slytherin, Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor. House rivalries apparently run right through families as well. Two, Orion dated Arabella first. Sirius dated her last. 

So what's the third one? With a little thought, you could figure it out. Or just wait for Family Relations. Leave it to Harry to get right to the point with his 'Uncle'. Care to stew about it until then? I'll help you out a little. What is it Orion does for a living? And what does that job curtail? And 'no', it has nothing to do with Sirius going to Azkaban. This took place long before that.

Happy hunting.

Sweets: I'm with you, girl. I love the holidays, but I am glad when they are over. 

Graduation? Way to go, girl. Hang in there. It is worth it.

Voldemort may have ways of finding things out, but only is he's looking for it. What are the chances, knowing as little as he currently does of the real situation between Orion and Katlin, that he would even remotely think Katlin would ever go to Dumbledore for help?

But yes, Katlin did take a very big chance going to Dumbledore just the same. But she was also very desperate.

Our dear potions master is currently a spy.

You're not completely out of the ballpark, Dear. More like its a grounder and you're running after it. You're on the right track with Snape, and his role does figure into the story briefly.

Will she listen to Dumbledore or go back to Voldemort? Why is there a difference there? Dumbledore (to my knowledge, but we know I can be quite wrong, despite having written this thing) never suggested to Katlin leaving Voldemort. (Go ahead. Tell me I'm wrong. I'm getting used to it.) Orion has that market covered very well, thank you. Dumbledore is currently only interested in helping Katlin through her crisis. Then maybe we'll discuss of few of those life choices.

****

FAMILY LIFE

penny: Listen, not offense meant here, Dear. I really appreciate the reviews and the time you took to submit them. But Dear, did you have nothing else to do on January 6th or so? Were you snowed in that day, Dear? I mean, you took on three of my stories in one day. That's seriously impressive, Dear.

Anyway, again, thank you for taking the time to review.

The summary thing was actually not my idea. I saw it done in another story ages ago and thought it was very cute.

I write in detail? Could you notarize a letter to that effect and send it to my editor? He swears the worst thing I do is write details.

Awww, come on. Poor Snape has enough to contend with with Lupin. He doesn't need it from the students as well.

I owe you for tissues? That's easy, Dear. I have stock in Klennex.

What Does Every Fifteen Year old Boy Want? was one of my better chapters. But again, as I have stated before many times, Chapter Eleven is and always will be my favorite not only because of the content, but because that was the first thing I ever wrote as a fanfiction.

Mr. Padfoot: I'm very glad you enjoyed that, Dear. I felt that was missed by a lot of people. Glad to see someone commenting on it. Thank you.

****

DIAMOND

Penny: So sorry it's still snowing, Dear. Or whatever is keeping you indoors. But it is working to my advantage, isn't it?

I do love our favorite little werewolf. So sorry he looks like spell fodder for Book Six. Still, I do love putting him in a room with Snape. The dialogue is just so easy to write.

****

SIRIUSLY BORED

Penny: STILL snowing, Dear? Honestly, I'd complain. Well, I would if it weren't that keeping you indoors gets me more reviews. So........., let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Glad I've kept you amused for the week.

****

FEVER

Wynjara: The name played heck with my spell checker, Dear. Just thought I would let you know.

Snape and Lupin are two of my favorite characters to put in a room together and just let them have at it verbal-wise. Lupin as a character plays very well off of Snape's dry sense of humor.

Reviews are as of 01112004.

And for all my Jewish readers out there,

Oy! to the world.


	40. Chapter ThirtyOne: Reconstruction

A/N: Greetings.

Well, somehow I managed to get this chapter out. I'll never know how. Nor will I ever understand how it came out as well as it did. I sat down to write this Friday night. I knew what I wanted it to say, but getting the idea from brain to paper is a bit of a stretch sometimes. Those of you who are writers out there will understand this. And the end could still use some work.

PAR also has bad things on the horizon again as well. Currently my Uncle in Kentucky is very ill. He was truly a man with a good heart, although few people saw it. He took care of those who needed it the most, and stood against a great deal of hardship in his life. The one thing I knew this man for was that he could get a rose bush to bloom just by looking at it. I can kill one just by looking at it. I always meant to asked him how he managed to have such success with roses. I just could never find the time. *sigh*

Let that be a lesson to you, folks. Never leave things to the last minute, or thinking there will always be tomorrow to do it. Sometimes, there ain't. So call up that person you haven't spoken to in years, and ask them how the heck they keep those rose bushes going year after year.

So please remember my Uncle Bob in your prayers.

And,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Hold on. There's a knock at the door. Oh. Look. Black suits. Looks like lawyers. What can I do for you gentlemen?

You the lady writing the Harry Potter Fanfictions?

Ahhhhhhhh.........., no. Harry who? Never heard of him. Wrong house.

(Gets dragged off by Warner Brothers lawyers, not for writing Harry Potter fanfictions, but for telling so obvious a lie, as that we all know only someone who has been under a rock for the past 12 years does not know who Harry Potter is.)

****

Chapter Thirty-One: Reconstruction

****

For Katlin the rest of the night was spent constructing her new life. Ironically, one built on a foundation of lies. 

Her first stop was back at the lair. A few of the right words in the wrong ears were going to work best for her now. In this case, in the form of another female Elite who Katlin didn't doubt for a minute had to be a Daily Prophet reporter in her everyday life. Anything told to the woman in the strictest confidence was usually part of the morning news the next day. For Katlin the woman had been practically glued to her since Johnathan revealed her relationship with the Unspeakable, Orion Black. The other Elite would practically beg for the smallest shred of information as to anything between her and the Auror. Anything she could run back to her lower ranking friends among the Deatheaters with, which Katlin was sure they tore at like a pack of dogs. And she was sure that they had chased themselves around Johnathan's version of the events often enough. Her story made more sense, but his was by far more entertaining.

Well, tonight she would put the whole matter to rest. And that pack of gossip hounds were going to help her.

Almost as soon as she arrived at the lair Katlin's prey saved her the trouble of a search by finding her first. It had been days since Katlin had seen the woman and she wasn't the least bit surprised that she came sniffing about for some morsel of a new story to take back to the others. Katlin wasn't about to disappoint her tonight.

Within minutes of their meeting, the woman was practically running off back through the tunnels of the lair. By morning Katlin felt certain the whole lair would know how the Auror had been getting suspicious over the past few days. Asking her too many questions for her to feel comfortable remaining in the relationship for the time being. She would start limiting any contact with him, if she deemed it worth her time any longer to even see him at all. She would be spending more time about the lair, in case the Auror went looking for her at her apartment in town. Things would be less complicated that way.

Yes, that all sounded reasonable, and very believable. 

It had to.

Katlin had often served up small lies to the woman just to get her off her back for a few days. Secrets the Auror was telling her. Things she had found in his house. All stories she was sure eventually found their way to Voldemort's ears. But now she was telling them a story that would one day in all likelihood be repeated to her. So it had to be believable. Because in the end she would, in fact, be lying to the hardest person of all to fool. Herself.

Next Katlin went to lay the groundwork for her lie with Voldemort. Fooling a gossip-hungry little dog was one thing. Laying the story out before someone she had loved so completely just the day before, and now questioned nearly every aspect of their relationship, would be another matter indeed.

Katlin worked her best to keep her mind focused on the story as she repeated it to Voldemort. Somehow she managed not to look away as she concentrated on simply giving a report as she had done a thousand times before. And in the end her hard work paid off as Voldemort simply agreed with her that perhaps the situation was getting too dangerous to justify the ends any longer and things were best ended with the Auror. 

Several hours later, Katlin sat in her private quarters at the lair, breathing a sigh of relief. Everything had gone exactly as she had planned for it to. Now she had only to wait for others to do the rest for her. 

Word of the ending of her mission was likely to work its way through the ranks quickly enough. Soon enough it would reach Johnathan, who would likely only serve to fuel it further since it was exactly what he wanted to hear. The Auror was gone, and the threat to Johnathan's own plans left with him.

By the weeks end Katlin felt fairly certain things would be back to normal for her. The gossip would have died down by then, and the others would likely have found something else to talk about. 

All that was left was for her to construct a memory solid enough for her to give to the old wizard so that he could incorporate it into the charm. She had to have some memory of what the past few months had been about. Something that even she couldn't find any holes in where things didn't quite fit together in case she fell over them later.

A small smile played over her lips as she looked over the words on the parchment before her. She had never imagined that the very lie she and Orion had constructed to tell others about their relationship she would one day be telling to herself. And having to make it just as believable.

Then there was the problem of getting back to the lair after the memory charm was done. She knew they couldn't take her back there themselves. Nor could she just return on her own. There would be too many unanswered questions in her mind to dwell on. There return had to seem natural to her. Just part of some continuing event.

An attack was what she finally decided on. She would be returning from the Auror's house and she was attacked. The old wizard could surely arrange for someone to be there to try and stop her from getting back to the lair. It would solidify the story in her own mind that things were as she thought them to be.

So that matter was settled.

All that remained now was the charm itself.

Katlin glanced at her watch. She still had a large part of the day ahead of her. The best thing would be to get some rest. She had been up the whole of the night making sure all the parts were in place. Now it was time to get some sleep.

Waking early in the morning the first thing Orion did was reach to the other side of the bed. But his hand only met with an empty space. 

The second thing he did was to run his fingers over the empty space. It wasn't smooth and soft. It was hard and at a slight incline.

Slowly opening open eye, Orion glanced over to the side and found his hand resting over the arm of the sofa. The sofa he was currently laying on.

Pulling himself slowly up, Orion felt something slip off his lap and fall to the floor. A massive pounding in his head made it nearly impossible to pull himself to a sitting position as it protested the movement all the way up. But when he finally made it up, he leaned over to see what had fallen.

Staring up at him from the floor was a bottle of scotch.

A very old bottle of scotch.

A very old, empty bottle of scotch.

Next to it was a not very old, but equally empty bottle of wine.

Wine and scotch. Now there was the way to start your day, he thought to himself in disgust.

With a deep sigh Orion looked around the room. Where was Misser.? If he was drinking that heavily the night before, Charly had to be around somewhere. No point in getting drunk by yourself. You needed someone to make a fool of yourself with.

Orion rubbed his eyes as he sat leaned over on the sofa. His head felt like it was going to explode, and the rest of his body felt like it would be just as happy if it did, and took it along with it.

A sudden ringing in front of him caused him to moan as the sound reverberated through his spinning head. He felt around the immediate area for his wand, then gave up with a sigh.

"Bo!" He shouted, instantly regretting it as things started to spin about again at the sound of his own voice.

Instantly a tower of black robes appeared next to him.

Orion pointed a less than steady finger at the fire. "Get that for me, will you? But no pictures. I'm not up for pictures today." 

The boggart stood staring at him for a moment, then turned its attention to the fireplace. Instantly small flames jumped to life amid the ashes.

"Black!" An all too familiar voice called from the flames, then paused for a second. "Where in Magic's name is the visual on this thing?"

"Picture out." Orion mumbled back at the flames. Best to keep sentences short. Just enough words to get the point across. Grammar only if someone got pissy about it .

"Is your clock not working as well?" Bale's voice barked from the fire.

Orion looked up at the clock on the wall next to him. Merlin's beard! He was late. By an hour! No wonder Bale was calling.

"I overslept." Orion replied groggily. "I'll be right there."

"See to it!" The voice barked once more, then the flames quickly died out.

Orion sighed again, then started to pull himself to his feet. A shower. He needed a shower.

Potion. He needed potion.

Charly was always best at brewing up hangover cures. Time for him to get up as well and get to work.

Work.

Orion stopped at the base of the starts in the foyer. 

Why hadn't Bale been barking over Charly being late as well? Surely his partner hadn't gotten up and left without waking him up as well. Although it would be just like Charly to pull a stunt like that.

Orion looked about again. Behind him Bo stood just a few feet back, hovering like a mother hen.

Something wasn't right here. 

Man! He hated the really good hangovers. Especially when there was no one there to explain things to him. 

Well, just have to sort it out on his own.

A few more steps and something else came back to him.

Katlin. She was living here now. Orion sighed quietly. She was probably sleeping in.

A few more steps and he stopped again. 

There was something else. They had had a fight last night. He remembered that now as well. That certainly explained what he was doing on the sofa.

Orion smiled slightly to himself. Well, if they had had a fight, he could make it up to her first. Then head off to work. He was already late. Another hour....maybe two. What did it matter?

Orion skipped up a few more stairs. Then stopped again.

No. It hadn't been a fight. It was something else. Something..........Orion practically missed the next step on the stairs.

The informant!

He had told her the story his informant had told him.

Orion fought with his tattered, alcohol soaked brain, trying to put all the pieces back together.

She had left. She hadn't believed him. They had fought. And she had left.

Orion flew up the stairs. 

Merlin's beard! Why hadn't he stopped her? Why hadn't he gone after her last night? Where was she?

Orion made it up the next few steps, then abruptly apparated to his room, leaving Bo standing on the stairs, having narrowly missed being run into when his charge disapparated.

Up in his room, Orion forewent the shower and simply grabbed a set of new clothes. As he struggled out of his old ones, he ran over in his mind a hundred different places Katlin may be. But there was only one forerunner. 

Her apartment. 

It was her safe-haven. The place she would most logically run to.

Dammit! Why hadn't he gone after her last night?!

A stinging on his cheek acutely reminded him as he pulled off his shirt.

She had been upset. To the point of striking him. And he had known her long enough to know when she reached that point, trying to calm her down or talk to her further was pointless. She needed time and space. Which he had been determined to give her. Which also explained one empty bottle of scotch and one empty bottle of wine. Had to do something to pass the time. And it guaranteed he wouldn't be going after her too soon.

'Space and time' had been his mantra last night. Going after her too soon would just make things worse. She needed to calm down first. Think things over. Then he would try talking to her again.

A few minutes later Orion was frantically pounding on Katlin's door. Whereas he had given her free access to his house, the same had not been granted to him. All part of her 'safe-haven' wish that he had agreed to. But after several minutes of knocking, pounding, pleading, and begging without results, Orion quickly checked the hallway, then apparated into the apartment.

Inside everything was just as he remembered it. Neat and tidy and not too overstated. He quickly checked her closets and drawers. Nothing was missing that he could tell, so she intended to come back. That was a good sign.

But if she wasn't at her apartment, where was she?

Surely she wouldn't go to the lair. She wouldn't want to face Voldemort after what she had learned. 

But where else?

Orion sighed to himself as he began to make a mental list of all the places he had thought over earlier. 

It was going to be a very long day.

By five o'clock Orion was back at the house. He had checked more places than he remembered, even checking out the Deatheaters lair as best he could. But the entire search had brought up nothing for him. Still he had no idea where Katlin was.

Dropping onto the same sofa he had started his day on, Orion looked about. Tets and the other house elves had already cleaned the room within an inch of its life. 

A soft beeping from the fire was demanding his attention. 

Bale.

Orion sighed to himself again. He had never shown up at the office. Bale was likely livid at this point.

Pulling out his wand, Orion pointed it at the fireplace and spoke a few words. Instantly a fire sprang to life and the office of his superior came into view, followed a few short seconds later by the face of Orin Bale as he took a seat at his desk.

"Kind of you to answer my page, Mr. Black." The man stated in a highly over-done courteous voice. "I hope I haven't disturbed you today."

"Orin, I'm sorry." Orion stated quickly. "It was....a family emergency of sorts. Came up right after I talked to you. I didn't even have time to call in. I just had time to change and leave."

Bale sat staring at him for a few seconds. "What 'family emergency'? And make it good, Black, because you know all to well I can check with your father."

Orion frowned slightly. "It didn't involve my parents." He replied bluntly. "It was personal."

"Then it wasn't a 'family emergency'." Bale replied, leaning back in his chair. "You'll be docked a week's wages for this little 'over-sight'. And I want you in my office first thing in the morning."

The fire instantly disappeared. 

Orion sat back on the sofa, shaking his head as he laid his hands over his face. A week's pay. Did Bale really think that mattered to him? Orion suddenly sat back up on the sofa. No. He knew that all too well. Docking his pay was just the attention getter. The real punishment would come tomorrow. Likely desk duty for a month. Bale knew that would hurt far more than any pay dock.

But even that he didn't really care about at the moment. All that mattered to him right then was how to find Katlin. Where could she have gone?

As he sat trying to think of where he hadn't look, a soft rustling of material caught his attention. Turning slightly Orion saw Bo standing silently next to the sofa.

"What is it, Bo?" He asked.

The boggart made a quick series of gestures.

"There's nothing wrong." He replied, "I'm just tired."

The boggart made a series of gestures again as Orion watched in in a half interested manner. But his curiosity grew as he translated the gestures.

"Why do you asked that?" He questioned.

The boggart repeated the same gestures in reply.

Orion pulled himself up on the sofa. "Bo, why would you ask if I was looking for Katlin?"

The boggart paused, then made a different series of gestures. But Orion shook his head as he got to his feet and stood facing him.

"No, no. You asked if I was looking for her, not did I know where she is."

The boggart started to make a series of gestures, but Orion quickly cut him off.

"Don't try changing the subject, Bo. You've got your foot in this. Now I want to know just how much more of you is in it. What do you know about where Katlin went off to?"

The boggart stood silently in front of him. Orion knew his tactics too well. It was like catching a small child with its hand in the cookie jar. Facing exposure, you're only hope was not to incriminate yourself further.

Orion favored the boggart with a warm smile. "All right, Bo." He coaxed him. "I know you're up to something. What game are you and Katlin playing?"

The boggart remained silent. 

Well, he knew something, Orion reasoned from his silence. And whatever it was, he was in it deep. And if he wanted to get any information at all, he would have to start with the basics.

"Bo, have you seen Katlin?" He asked.

The boggart quickly erupted into a series a gestures which ended with him crossing his arms over his chest and looking very pleased with himself.

Orion frowned at the whole display. "I meant in the past two days." He replied.

This time the answer came much slower, as thought the boggart were hesitating over each word.

"All right." Orion said with a small smile. "You've seen her. When?"

The boggart made a small gesture.

Orion nearly jumped the boggart at the admission. "Last night!?" He yelled. "She was here last night and you didn't......." But he stopped abruptly. The alarms hadn't sounded last night. "What do you mean by 'here'?"

Bo went through another complicated series of gestures.

"On the grounds? What was she doing on the grounds?"

The boggart made a series of gestures, then took up his self-satisfied pose again.

"She only wanted to talk to you?" Orion asked with a puzzled frown. "About what?"

The boggart didn't move.

"Bo," Orion repeated, "about what?"

The boggart still didn't move.

Well, Orion knew a brick wall when he saw one. If it had been Tets, the matter would have been simple enough. He would have simply ordered the little blighter to tell him what Katlin had said. Which, he quickly decided, was likely the very reason she hadn't chosen his house elf as her confidant.

Time to change tactics.

"Bo, did Katlin tell you not to tell me?"

To his surprise, the boggart shook his head.

"So she said you could tell me?"

As the boggart stood silent before him Orion swore he practically smell the smoke. He was definitely onto something now.

"Bo," he repeated, "just focus on the question. Did Katlin say you could tell me?"

This time the boggart nodded.

"Then there shouldn't be anything wrong with your telling me what she said to you last night, right?"

The boggart paused, then nodded and erupted into a long series of gestures as Orion stood watching him, the frown forming on his face growing deeper with each word. But he abruptly stopped the boggart halfway through.

"A memory charm!?" He stated in alarm. "She's going to have a memory charm done on her?"

The boggart nodded, then began with his story again. But Orion stopped him once more.

"Who!?" He demanded. "Who did she say was doing this memory charm?"

Bo paused before answering. 

"Old wizard?" Orion questioned. "What old wizard?"

The boggart shrugged under its robes, then promptly continued with its story as though it had never been interrupted.

Orion watched each gesture carefully, looking for any hint of where Katlin might have been planning to go. But nothing in the rest of Bo's answer gave him the slightest clue.

Orion stood for a long time sorting through the information. In truth, he knew of several 'old wizards'. And the only one that presented even the slightest possibility of someone Katlin would go to for such a thing was Voldemort himself. But Katlin would not have referred to him as an 'old wizard'.

Orion rolled the possibilities around in his mind several times. But not one of them was logical. None of the men he was thinking of would help a Deatheater. All of them would likely kill her on sight. 

It had to be someone she could trust to listen to her. Someone who would be impartial. Someone willing to do what she was asking. 

But who?

Orion looked about the room as he thought. Inadvertently his eyes fell on an old photograph of himself and Charly. They were both out on holidays, running about London like idiots. Making fools out of themselves.

Orion smiled slightly at the photo. Life had been so much less complicated then. The only things back then he had to worry about were girls and school. The 'girls' part wasn't so bad. But the school part! He remembered sitting for his exams wondering all the while is he would pass them, if he would score well, why he hadn't studied longer, what Charly's muggle exams were like, wondering what would happen if he failed. He remembered the Headmaster letting him practice for the charms portion of the exams by setting wards about the school. Dumbledore had always complimented him on his ability to do charms. Especially protection charms and wards. When he had graduated, the old wizard had even employed him to finish the work he had started by completing the wards he had started setting up earlier.

Orion suddenly snapped out of his memories.

The old wizard.

Surely Katlin hadn't meant............she couldn't have gone there!

Orion turned slowly back to the boggart still standing silently in front of him.

"Bo," he asked carefully, "did Katlin tell you specifically where she was going?"

The boggart quickly shook his head.

Orion thought for a few more moments. Even if he was wrong, Dumbledore might be able to help him in his search somehow. There was certainly nothing to lose in trying.

"Bo, I need you to send me to Hogwarts. Right to the Headmaster's office. Can you do that for me?"

The boggart quickly nodded.

Having been at the school himself, Orion knew that Bo knew his way around the old castle's corridors as well as any student would. Thankfully he apparently remembered where Dumbledore's office was as well. Hopefully the old Headmaster hadn't changed it. For all Orion knew for sure, he could very well end up in a pantry or some sort or a cleaning closet.

But in the next instant, Orion found himself standing before the Headmaster's desk. Meeting the old wizard's stare, Orion suddenly felt he likely should have asked Bo to place him on the other side of the door, where he could have knocked. But what was done was done, and once he explained things, Dumbledore would likely forgive the abrupt intrusion.

"Professor Dumbledore..........," he started, but a woman's voice cut him short.

"You promised!" She cried out.

Orion turned abruptly to find himself facing Katlin, whose attention, filled with fury, was completely focused on the old wizard behind the desk.

"You promised!" She shouted at him again, pointing an accusing finger at the Headmaster. "You said I was safe here. You said no one would know. What did you do? Send out invitations?"

"Ms. Griss, I assure you..........." Dumbledore started, but Orion interrupted him.

"Katlin, Dumbledore did not tell me you were here. I came here looking for help in finding you."

"You could have saved yourself the trouble." Katlin seethed. "I have nothing further to say to you."

"Be as angry as you want." Orion told her. "I don't deny you that right. But you can't hate me completely. If you did you wouldn't have set Bo to try and stop me from finding you for fear you would hurt me. If you cared nothing at all, you wouldn't have bothered with that part of this........ludicrous plan of yours." 

"Ludicrous?"

"What would you call it? A memory charm? That isn't going to solve anything, Katlin. It won't change what Voldemort did. It'll just put you right back where you were before. Right back into his hands. Right back with the man who murdered your parents."

"You're a liar." Katlin hissed at him. "You have nothing further to say I wish to hear." She quickly turned her attention back to Dumbledore. "You made me a promise. I want it done NOW!"

"Mr. Black," Dumbledore stated, standing up behind the large, wooden desk as he faced his former student, "your presence here is by no invitation of mine or Ms. Griss. No matter how urgent you may feel your business here is, the young lady obviously does not want you here. Therefore, I would ask you to leave, and in the future please inform your boggart such intrusions are highly advised against."

Orion paused for a moment, unsure of how to address the Headmaster in the matter.

"I am sorry, Professor Dumbledore." He replied in as humble a tone as he could manage. "I had no idea this was where Katlin had come. I only came seeking your help in looking for her. She's about to make a horrible mistake. Surely you can understand that? A memory charm won't solve any of this. Please, we just need time to talk this out."

"Ms. Griss is well aware of her actions, Mr. Black. And she is quite old enough to make such a decision on her own."

Orion turned abruptly back to Katlin. Falling on his knees before her, he had to make her understand how wrong this was.

"Please," he begged her, "Katlin, my love, my heart, my very life, hear me out. Hear me out this one last time."

Katlin stared down at the man before her, then slowly turned her eyes to Dumbledore, who was watching her from behind his desk. Quietly she gave a small nod, at which the old wizard silently left the room.

Sitting down in the chair behind her, Katlin fixed a hard stare on the man still on his knees before her.

"Have your say." She practically spat at him. "It will make no difference to me."

Orion quickly took her hands in his, staring up at her past pleading eyes. "Love, I am sorry. I am sorry this hurt you. I am sorry for causing you this pain. And I would never have done so if I didn't think it was what I had to do. The man was lying to you, Katlin. For years. You deserved to know the truth. That was all I wanted."

"What you had to do?"

"For you, Katlin. I did this for you."

Katlin snatched her hands out of his. "You did this for yourself, Orion. I had very little to do with your motivation."

"Love, that isn't true. You were living in a lie. A horrible lie. He was using you. Manipulating you to his will. Believe me, please, I never meant to hurt you with this. If I could change this, if I could take away the pain you are in, I would do it. For I never wanted to do anything that caused you this much pain."

Katlin stared down at him for a moment. "You would do anything?" She asked softly.

Orion felt a stir of hope. "Anything."

Katlin gave him a small smile. "Anything at all?"

"I swear it."

The smile abruptly fade and was replaced by a hard, cold stare. "Then you leave this place now. You let the old man finish his work, and then you let me go."

Orion stared up at her past tear-filled eyes, unable to say anything.

"You said anything." Katlin reminded him sharply.

Orion sank down in front of her, his head finally resting in her lap. "Love, please. I can't lose you. I can't live with that pain in my heart. Please, come home with me. I will do whatever it takes to make this right. To take this pain away from you."

"You're very good at making promises." Katlin stated formally. "And when you don't get what you want with them, you simply make more promises. But you made your deal with me. You swore to it. And I expect you to hold to your word."

Orion stared up at her solemnly past his tears. "Very well. I gave you my word." He choked out. "And I will live up to it. But know this. I will always love you. Nothing will change that. Nothing will destroy it. And if this is the price I have to pay, to know that you are happy again, no matter, right or wrong, I will gladly accept it. Just to know that you are at peace again."

Katlin made no reply as she watched the man before her slowly get to his feet again. He slowly went to the door and opened it, staring back at her one last time as Dumbledore entered the room again.

"Well?" He asked.

Katlin paused, her stare never having left the old wizard since he entered the room. Without once shifting her gaze back to Orion, she simply nodded.

****

Note : Believe it or not, folks. You are ending a story arc here.

Does that mean the story ends here? 

No. Just this part of it. The next posting, hopefully next week, will start a new story arc titled Control. Given mostly from Orion's point of view, the chapters deal with how Orion deals with Katlin's departure from his life. The arc will also show you why Orion got chosen to be in the Unspeakables. You don't get voted into that position, people.

I hope you enjoy it.

Q&A

****

Enemies

Sweets: Hey. Gotta do something while cleaning.

Man, I just love Mel Brooks movies. My favorite phrase, because it was adapted by so many of my (less than law abiding) friends at conventions (and quickly became a convention catch-phrase) is "Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges."

Ahhhh. The good old days. Brings back memories.

Cleaning already needs to be cleaned again.

Katlin indeed does meet Harry later. In the next story, as a matter of fact, titled Runaway. Which is part of why this story had to come up first. There are too many references to the past in Runaway that would just be confusing if you haven't read this story first. Friend or foe? Well, if I told you that you could just blow of the story. And I need hits.

RIght now Katlin is angry. And at a lot of things. At Orion, at Voldemort, and the world in general. Couple that with how confused she is and you have a very dangerous combination for choosing this to be 'decision making time' in your life.

Math AND bio? Oy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck!

Silverfox: WOW!!!!!! I am seriously impressed.

Your train, Dear, left the station with all the passengers on board, and all you're missing is one small carry-on case, which, knowing you, will show up at the next stop.

You are just that close to what is going on here.

True enough. In Katlin's view of things, Bo apparated her from within the estate grounds, which should not have been possible because Orion keeps anti-apparation fields around his house at all times.

But keep in mind, you are only reading Katlin's view of things. Is it the truth? That remains to be seen.

Now why would she go to Charly? There's a true Deatheater/Auror relationship in the making.

I have very little positive to say about FictionAlley. These people just have no idea what they are doing. And they are so pleased with themselves because of their author list? Phfffft! I think Fanfiction.Net has their total author listing just in the Harry Potter category. Get real, people. You're still babies in this business.

Actually, one can choose who to hate. Some people you hate, others are just beneath even bothering with that.

True enough. The 'it's not a problem, it's a challenge' thing? No, people. It's a problem. And don't give me the 'you're only letting the other person upset you' thing either. Ulcers, people, come from trying to convince yourself you are not angry/sad/upset by something. I say wrap your hands about its slimy little throat and DEAL WITH IT! (In whatever manner seems most appropriate at the time. Let the cops sort it out later. That's what they are for.)

SEP is one of my favorite acronyms. Someone Elses Problem. (I believe it is a military thing.)

True. Dumbledore might have been suspicious of good old Tom Riddle. But isn't this the same Albus 'Everyone deserves another chance' Dumbledore? And Tom isn't really a power player yet. An irritant, yes? Big league? Not yet. But moving up fast on the outside lane.

All I'm saying is the fact that Orion is an Auror plays into the third reason the Black brothers have issues. Not sayin' nothin' more till Family Relations. (And no, your guess was wrong. So sorry. Please feel free to play again.)

Are you reading ahead or did I put something in I shouldn't have? Snape's being a spy does play in this story, but I don't think it was mentioned in the story yet. Must have been one of those 'something I shouldn't have mentioned in the Q&A' things.

I figured at this point Snape got into the Deatheaters early, realized this wasn't quite the club he thought it was, and got into the spy business instead. He is currently working against the Deatheaters.

Sailor Sol: Yes, every now and then do the Gollum thing. Even though PAR has not yet seen the third movie. Waiting for it to come to my local theater that serves food. I like doing the 'dinner and a movie' thing.

Nope. Sorry, Dear. Bo doesn't 'merge' with people. He's already 'merged' with a boggart. Therefore he (sort of) has a physical form. Can't abandon one to take on another.

Actually, I tell a fib. As you'll see in an up-coming chapter, Bo can merge with his 'host/channeler'. But that is the only person he can merge with. And that isn't a true 'merging'. It's more just 'going along for the ride'.

Ahhhh, lunch in the school cafeteria. I remember it well.

Enjoy college, Dear. Nothing compares to it.

Co-writing!? Oh, Dear, I would advise against this particular practice. It can lead to problems. Especially with friends. Co-writing should only be done between utter strangers.

Skahducky: I think the most frightening thing I have going right now is that I have actually learned to spell your name.

Katlin is going to find out that her 'why' isn't going to solve everything? Well, once the memories gone, she isn't really likely to care anymore.

Ummmmm, weeeeeeell, kinda. Yes, there was a reason Bo kept asking her that particular question. But the actual question he kept repeating was "Is this what you want?". And again, yes, there was a reason for that. But this is like presenting Katlin's problem to a three year old and saying, 'So, how would you solve this?'. 

And keep in mind I don't keep referring to him as Orion's 'enigmatic boggart' for nothing. Sometimes what Bo does is based on how he perceives the situation. And sometimes on how he would like it to be.

He's such a fun little character. Ya' just gotta love him.

****

Family life

SarcasmSage: Where were you people when I needed letters written to my editor?

Seriously, thank you. I appreciate the kind words, and I always love to read reviews. I'm glad you liked the story, and watch for the sequel, Family relations, due out in the summer.

Reviews are as of 01172004.

And remember;

God wants spiritual fruits, not religious nuts.


	41. Chapter ThirtyTwo: Control Part One

A/N: First off, folks, I am **VERY **please (Can you tell I'm pleased?) to announce, that Family Life, the first fanfiction I ever wrote, is, at last look, less than 500 hits away from 100,000. I am so very pleased!!!!!!! I never thought to see any story of mine get that many hits. And you have no idea how long it took for me to keep logging in to my own........I mean, I'm very grateful to all helped me reach this mark. The way this thing logs in hits, it may well have pushed past 100,000 by today. I'm tickled silly, really.

Wow. 100,000. In just over two years on the board. I'm thrilled.

Next, I'm sorry, people. I didn't mean to confuse anyone with this. Let me try again.

This is still Enemies. That happy, wandering little story you've been reading since.........well, for a while, at least.

What has happened is, you've completed a story arc. (There is much rejoicing.) All that means is that a significant part of the story is done.

Is this a good 'jumping on place' for new readers? Good heavens, no! Go read the beginning chapters.

So where are we now?

For the next few chapters (I think it's four, but don't hold me to that.) you will be looking at the story based on how Orion is dealing with Katlin leaving him. (Boy has issues.)

It also gives you a very good look at why Orion is an Unspeakable and why most people genuinely fear the man. Again, he didn't get voted into the position, folks.

Beware weird chapter numbering.

For those of you who are interested, my Uncle Bob is doing better.

Also, I would like to point out that the caps key on my keyboard is not working well.

And as always.........,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Wow. A 100,000. Who'dve thought? 

Oh! Sorry. Ummmmmm, not mine. No money. Don't sue.

Wow. 100,000. 

Wow. 

****

Chapter Thirty-Two: Control - Part One

Charly Misser watched his partner from the corner of his eye. Orion had laid the whole story of Katlin leaving him out for Charly over six bottles of Scotch and more shoulder crying than Charly ever thought the man had in him. 

But Charly had fully expected it. Orion had had bad relationships before which eventually ran their course. 

But they were usually a matter of a week or so. 

Not months. 

But since that night, Charly had spent a great deal of time keeping a close watch on Orion. He had to admit that while Orion was with the Elite Deatheater, he had missed his friend. He had missed the times they had gone out for an evening on the town, either escorting two women, or going out alone for a night of serious drinking. 

Those were the nights Charly had missed the most. No one could hold their liquor quite like Orion Black. For the man to go through two large bottles of anything in an evening and walk out of the bar apparently completely sober was not at all unusual. But when Orion had hooked up with the Deatheater, Charly had noticed not only did Orion cut back significantly on his time with his partner in their commonly enjoyed past-times, but on his other past-times as well. 

Mainly his drinking.

In the time Orion was with Katlin, or at least the time Charly surmised the whole affair started, he rarely saw Orion drink anything at all. While on missions the man was nothing short of a tea-toddler, and usually nursing a cup of that all night. But now that the Deatheater was out of his life, apparently so were some of her influences on him. Among them his drinking habits. But that one didn't bother Charly so much. At least not half as much as the other.

The other change Charly had noticed in his partner while he was with Katlin was that his temper had improved significantly. Things that use to set him off as a matter of course he had taken to shrugging off. But with Katlin gone, not only was Orion temper back, but, like his drinking, it seemed worse than ever. Charly had watched the man on mission after mission steadily escalating in how he dealt with the Deatheaters they were fighting. Whereas Orion, like many of the Unspeakables, did his job with clear efficiency, he now was almost seemed to take things personally. Charly was almost starting to feel sorry for whatever poor Deatheater Orion got his hands on in a fight. He wasn't overly eager to ever end things cleanly. The longer he could drag out the fight, the better.

Charly had brought the change in Orion's behavior to Orin Bale's attention several times. But the best he had ever gotten was a half muttered promise to have a talk with Black. Usually he was told that as long as the Auror was doing his job, that was what the Department cared about.

And so, with little else he felt he could do, Charly took his concerns to the source, hoping Orion would listen to him.

Charly had started things out by stopping by Orion's on the way home under the pretense of discussing an ambush the Department had planned for the following evening. Orion was perfectly ready to talk all night about the planned attack, mostly in terms that lingered a little too long on discussing how many Deatheaters he felt he could take out in the time frame allowed.

Charly stood by the fireplace with a glass of scotch in his hand, letting his partner talk himself out before broaching the subject with him.

"Orion," Charly finally said as Orion was getting ready to launch into another long solo discussion about his own outlook for the attack, "do you honestly even listen to yourself anymore?"

Orion stopped abruptly as he looked up at his partner. "Meaning?" The word came out a little slower than usual. But the man was also on his eighth Scotch.

"Do you listen to yourself?"

Orion gave him a small smile. "Not usually. I find myself somewhat boring to listen to."

"I'll go with you there, mate." Charly stated, walking over to where Orion was sitting on the sofa. "But Orion, I'm talking about how you talk about missions lately."

"What are you on about, Charly?"

"Orion, when you talk about a mission, all you talk about is who you're going to kill, how many you're going to kill, or how you're going to kill them."

Orion gave him a wide grin. "What's your point?"

"Orion, mate, you always enjoyed your work. I'll give you that. But lately, you've been enjoyyyyyying your work, you know?" Charly stated, putting a great deal of emphasis on the one word.

"It's a job, Charly."

"No, it's not. Not to you. Not anymore. Orion, you've been making it something personal as of late. Every Deatheater you kill I almost feel sorry for these days."

"Don't!" Orion snapped at him suddenly. "Don't ever feel sorry for them, Charly. They're getting what they deserve."

"What they deserve?"

But Orion had turned his attention now to the fire and was watching it very intently. Like he was trying to memorize something in the flames.

"Orion," Charly prodded carefully, "what did you mean, 'what they deserve'?"

"Just that." Orion replied softly, still watching the flames. "They're getting what they deserve." Orion turned slowly to look at his partner. "They took her away from me, Charly. The took the only good thing in my life. And she'll never come back because of them."

A look of shock came over Charly's face. "Orion, that's plain crazy. Katlin left you. Her choice. Where she went has nothing to do with the Deatheaters. She went back to where she belonged. I mean, slap me for saying it, mate, but you can't blame the Deatheaters for what Katlin did."

But Orion didn't bother to answer him. Instead he had simply turned once again to the fire. Another habit of his he had adopted that Charly hated. If Orion didn't want to hear what you had to say, the man could shut you out like you weren't even there anymore.

"Orion, you need to stop this." Charly told him softly. "You need to get a handle on things, or something much worse could come of this. You aren't concentrating out there anymore. You go into a fight just looking for a black robe to get a hold of. Last month I had to deflect a spell away from you that you didn't even see coming."

"I believe that's what you're there for, Charly." Orion answered flatly.

"Yes, I am." Charly grabbed the man by the shoulder and turned him roughly to him. "But it works both ways, partner. And lately I haven't felt my back being very well protected."

"If you feel that way, Charly," Orion stated, giving the man a cold stare, "then maybe you should ask for reassignment."

"I don't want a new partner, Orion." Charly stated sharply. "I want my old one back."

Orion sighed as he turned back to the fire. "If you came looking for a fight, Charly, then you're at the right place. If not, I suggest whole-heartedly that you leave. Because I'm just in the right mood tonight."

"I'm not looking for a fight with you, Orion. All I am is concerned. You're losing control. Like I've never seen before. You need to get a grip, mate."

"I have a perfectly good grip, Charly. Now either leave or I'll demonstrate."

Charly sighed to himself. "Fine. I'll go. But I'm gonna leave you with one thought, mate. And I want you to think about it hard. You're so concerned about your little piece of fluff? Think about this then. You go into these fights like a tornado. You don't look, you don't slow down, you practically throw caution to the wind. All you're thinking about, by your own admission, is how many Deatheaters you can kill. Now, what if one of these days, in your mad dash to reach one more than the time before, you reach out and grab her?"

Orion took a drink off his scotch, then turned to Charly with a knowing smile. "Won't happen." He replied confidently.

"Really? You're so sure of that?"

"Positive."

"Why?"

"Because it won't. Katlin's an informant. An interrogator. She doesn't go into the general skirmishes. So stop worrying about it. Honestly, you're worse than me Mum."

Charly sighed to himself. He wasn't going to get anywhere with his partner today, that was for sure. 

"All right." He said. "But, I'm not going to leave you alone with this, partner. If you need me, Orion, I'm just a call away. You know that."

"Charly, I just want to be left alone right now. All right? I'll see you at the office tomorrow."

"We have that meeting in the morning with Bale. Do you remember that? About that raid we're going to crash next week."

"I'll be there, Charly. Don't worry."

"If you're not, I'm coming over here."

"I'll be there."

"See to it."

Orion watched his partner step into the fire and disappear. He appreciated Charly's concern, but there was simply no need for it. He was over-dramatizing things. What had he expected him to do after Katlin left? Go on like nothing had happened? Dealing with the Deatheaters was how he got it out of his system. It was something to focus on. Something else to think about. Something else to do besides sit around and go crazy. Wondering where she was. Who she might be with. Was she safe? Was she happy? Would he ever see her again.? Would she even remotely remember him?

No. Those were thoughts best not dwelled on.

Work. That was what he needed to keep his mind on now.

And work meant dealing with the Deatheaters.

The meeting in the morning went like most meetings did. Plans were discussed and arrangements made. The ambush was to be a simple procedure. More of a 'hit and run' as Charly called them. Get in and take out as many as you can be reinforcements showed up. It was a successful tactic so far. 

The only problem with it was that it was a favorite of the Deatheaters as well.

At the end of the meeting, Charly grabbed Orin Bale and directed him aside, away from the others as the group slowly filed out of the room.

"Bale, I need to talk to you." Charly told him.

Bale turned an impatient stare to his agent. "Be quick about it, Misser. I have another meeting in fifteen minutes."

"Sir, it's about Orion."

"Bewitching your parchment to do origami on your desk again, Misser?" He asked, heading for the door. "Tell him to stop and that's an order."

"Sir," Charly grabbed the man's arm, "it's a bit more serious than that."

Bale stopped and turned to the man. "Well?"

"Sir, it's Orion's whole attitude about these attacks. He's treating these assignments like their hunts instead of missions."

"Are we back to that, Misser?" Bale replied in a bored tone. "Look, if you disapprove of the man's methods, ask for reassignment. Because I'm not going to lose two of my best agents because you two can't decided on the humane treatment of Deatheaters. All right?"

"Sir, this is serious!"

"So am I, Misser! And what's more, I'm late. So here it is. Settle your problems internally or I'll reassign you myself. Is that understood?"

Charly pulled back slightly. He wasn't going to get the help he had hoped for from Bale.

"Yes, Sir." He replied quietly.

The morning of the mission Charly stuck to Orion like glue. If he couldn't get the man to try and be a little less reckless, the least he could do is try and protect him. Watch his back and try and get them both home alive. Hopefully this was just a stage. Some phase he was working his way through and he would come out of it soon.

Orion prepared for the mission like he prepared for most ambush attacks. He sat in the room where they were to meet before apparating to the arranged area, watching the others arrive. He sat anxiously tapping his feet against the ground. He hated the waiting. It was a total lack of activity for him. A lack of concentration. A lack of anything to do with his mind. 

But finally everyone had arrived and they apparated out.

If nothing else, Orion had to agree with Charly on one point. He was starting to like these types of missions a bit too much. But, it was, after all, his job. And as the old saying went, 'someone had to do it'.

The Deatheaters arrived almost to the second the Unspeakables expected them. Thank heavens they were punctual, Orion told himself. He hated wasting time.

His goal that night was simple. Take out more than he had the last time. Grab hold, deal the curse, move on. That was how the job was done most efficiently.

Thirty minutes into the fight, Orion was avidly pursuing his fifth Deatheater. The black robed figure had managed to elude his grasp several times and even got off a well aimed blast from their wand that he narrowly managed to sidestep. But finally he felt his finger make contact with the cloth of the Deatheaters hood. He firmly grabbed hold and gave a solid yank.

A female voice answered with a slight yelp of surprise.

Female! How he hated getting females! 

But, he sighed to himself as he pulled the black-robed body back to him, that was all part of it. Male. Female. They were all Deatheaters. And he treated them all the same.

That was the thought he focused on as he grabbed the Deatheater about the throat and pushed the tip of his wand into her neck.

Say the spell, drop the body, move on. Simple.

Orion started to speak the words he had said a hundred times before. Without thought. Without emotion.

But he stopped abruptly. Something inside of him was screaming at him to stop. He tried his best to focus on what it was. But he couldn't latch onto anything clear. It was just...a feeling. An all too familiar feeling.

Orion grabbed the Deatheater by the shoulder and pulled her about to face him.

Looking back at him with a defiant, hate-filled gaze, was Katlin Griss.

'Merlin's Beard!' Orion took a step back in shock. He had almost killed her! He had almost shoved his wand up against her neck, spoken the killing curse, and dropped her dead body to the ground. He would never have even known. Never realized who he had killed that day.

How many times had he come this close before? Others had gotten away from him. One's whose faces he never saw. Had one of them been her?

Orion had never even thought of such a thing. Of the possibility even. Not until Charly had mentioned it to him. That inadvertently, he might have killed the woman he loved so desperately and he would never have even known.

Orion looked about quickly. To his left a group of Deatheaters was preparing to disapparate. Orion grabbed Katlin by the arm and shoved her towards them.

"There!" He shouted at her as he pushed her in their direction. "Run! Don't stop. Just run."

Katlin stood for a moment staring back at him. Her expression was a mixture of confusion and surprise. Both keeping her rooted to the spot where she stood.

"Run!" Orion shouted at her again.

Katlin pulled back a step, then turned and ran as fast as she could towards the others. She managed to side-step a stray spell as a streak of light cut in front of her. Finally she dove into the cover of the group just as the pull of the spell took them all to safety.

Orion watched the group disapparate. Watched his love vanish before his eyes. But at least she was safe.

This time.

The sudden fear of the thought washed over him like a cold fire. She was safe for now. But what about the next time? What if she met with someone else the next time? Someone who would treat her just as he treated the others. Like just another Deatheater.

He had to do something. Come up with some way to protect her.

"Orion!"

The sound of his name snapped him out of his thoughts. Looking up Orion saw his partner running towards him.

"What in the name of Magic did you just do?!" Charly asked breathlessly.

Orion turned a blank expression to his partner. "What?"

"You just let a Deatheater go free! You even helped them escape! What are you doing, mate!?"

Orion tried to focus his stare on the man next to him. "Charly, that was Katlin." He explained in a voice as unfocused as he gaze.

"Mate, I don't care if it was Santa in black robes, passing out presents to all the good little Deatheaters. You just assisted a Deatheater in an escape. In the middle of a battle. Can you even hope no one else saw that?"

Orion sighed quietly. "Well, we'll find out, won't we." He replied mildly.

****

Q&A

Sailor Sol: You're heart is breaking for him? Why? Granted, generally I love people feeling sympathy for my characters. But let's face it. The man got himself into this all by himself. He just couldn't leave well enough alone.

I'm glad you are enjoying college. Roommates can be a pain though. Can you get reassigned?

The other is a senior at your college and you know 'some of her personalities'? Oh, dear, this does not sound good. I mean, most of us generally have just the one, Dear.

As you saw in the Author's Notes, no, this story is not done. Control is just the start of a new phase of Enemies. But it is still all one story line.

Three hours standing in the cold? Dear, were you acting as the jumper cables or so? Otherwise, I'd have watched from the window.

nessie: Distraught, Distraught, distraught, distraught. The poor woman is distraught. Utterly, totally, thoroughly distraught. Completely distraught. Highly distraught. Unbelievably distraught. Understandably distraught. Fully distraught. (Ha! One more than you. Phfffffft!)

Yes, poor Tets was getting very fond of his new Misses. I find it somewhat odd, actually, that no one thought it even slightly strange that a creature that so totally disliked (feared?) Deatheaters, would take such a liking to Katlin.

Ummmmmm, again I would like to point out, exactly what proof do you have Voldemort did actually do it?

And lets not lay everything at poor Katlin's feet. Orion had his part to play in all of this too. Katlin just reacted to something told to her that she had no control over. And she was nice to Orion about it. I mean, she did try to arrange things so she wouldn't kill him later on. So despite everything, she must have still felt something for him. (Which, by the way, plays a large part in events later on.) 

skahducky: Bo might be fun to read about, but in the next few chapters you will see he isn't all fun and games. In the wrong hands, he can be something entirely different.

What's stopping her from falling in love all over again? Nothing. And anything is possible. However, the fact that Katlin and Orion fell in love to begin with was against the odds. How much more so must they be for a second chance?

Unless someone were to tip the odds in their favor.

Glad you enjoyed the chapter, Dear.

Eva Phoenix Potter: Well, doing what your readers don't expect is sort of what keeps the story interesting. 

Granted, I took a good tongue lashing from several call-ins (People who are reading this who actually have my phone number. I commonly refer to them as 'friends'.). But I generally do not manipulate my stories based on popular opinion.

Silverfox: Well, glad to hear your grandfather is doing OK. And my Uncle Bob is proving once again he is a tough old bird.

Katlin didn't think it was odd? Well, two points on that. One, Katlin has no idea what Bo is and isn't capable of. Only Orion knows that for sure. And even he isn't really sure of the extent of Bo's abilities. Secondly, she was a bit distraught. (Go see nessie's answer.). 

Does that prove he didn't mess with her mind. No. 

Does it prove that he did? No.

Ha! Thought you had me, didn't you?

I'm not saying it wasn't an show of his power that Bo could apparate someone through the wards around the house or through those at the school, but let me point out a few things you're missing here.

One: Katlin was wearing her pendent still. (Still is, by the way. Please note, people, that she did not give it back to Orion. Nor did Dumbledore ask her to hand it over. That plays later in the story.) Her pendent allows her to apparate past the wards at the house.

Two: Who set up the wards at the house? 

Three: Who set up the wards around the school? 

Four: Who do you think taught Orion how to do that? 

Five: Who taught Orion how to break the ward on the cellar steps? 

Six: Who do you think knows a liiiiiiiiiiittle bit more about wards than he's telling?

'Distance' to Bo is just a little bit further than the other place. You know. It isn't point A, its point B, which just isn't point A. (In other words, distance is sort of irrelevant to him. Places for Bo are just seen as 'not other places'.)

Hence, I would like to point out why Bo is sometimes a little difficult to write about.

But I still love him.

Being in and working with computers and the like all day long, I have learned more acronyms then I ever care to. Computer people have an acronym for just about everything they do. And they tend to use them like normal people use real language.

I assume you meant you 'haven't' asked to see him for an entire story now. And by the way, Dear, your last review blows that record.

Why do you assume Snape isn't working for Dumbledore? Which he is, by the way. Dumbledore may not consider Voldemort a major player right now, but he doesn't see any harm in keeping an eye on him either.

****

Family Life

ShardWing: I'm very glad you like it, Dear. Please watch for the sequel, Family Relations, due out this year.

****

The Bonds That Tie

DeathScythe Custom: My, but we had a busy day.

Ah, another favorite authors/story list. Thank you, Dear.

Cookies? I get cookies! Yah!

Actually, The Ties That Bond does have a sequel, Dear. Tried And Convicted is the sequel to that story.

Nope. James and Lily didn't come back to life. And they weren't exactly ghosts either. Spirits, maybe. But not ghosts.

Generally I consider it a honor another author would allow me to work with her characters. Therefore I try not to do anything..........harmful in a permanent way.....to them. I don't so 'incidents'.

****

A Dog's Day

Penny: I have no idea where this story came from, actually. But a lot of people seem to like it. I just wish it were read more.


	42. Chapter ThirtyThree: ControlPart Two

A/N: Last Saturday, folks, my Uncle Bob passed away. So I hope you will understand why I didn't post last week.

We were told it was very peaceful and something of a blessing, if death can ever be called that. I have my doubts. But we were told they were increasing his morphine every day, so he was in a great deal of pain.

But that's all I really have to say.

****

Chapter Thirty-Three: Control- Part Two

"Black!"

Orion practically cringed coming down the hall. He hadn't even gotten to his desk yet after returning to the Department after the battle and already Bale was screaming his name down the corridor.

Well, that hadn't taken half as long as he thought it would.

Orion sighed, and with backward glance at the worried expression of his partner, trudged off to his superior's office.

Seated behind his desk, Orin Bale looked as angry as Orion had ever seen the man.

"Have you completely lost your mind!?" The man shouted at him before Orion was even in his seat.

"I don't think so." Orion answered calmly, slowly lowering himself into the chair.

"Then explain it to me, Black." Bale pressed on. "Explain to me how five of my top agents all reported not an hour ago that they saw you help a Deatheater, currently in your custody, escape. Explain that to me! Please!"

Orion sat for a moment in silence. The best thing he could do was let Bale calm down a little first. He had known of the possibility of this confrontation. Therefore, thankfully, he had had time to prepare for it. Hopefully he had prepared well enough that Bale would believe him.

"The Deatheater was Katlin Griss." Orion replied in a formal tone.

Bale stood leaning over his desk, staring down at the man before him. He blinked at him a few times, then closed his eyes as he shook his head.

"This just keeps getting better." He stated. "You had Voldemort's top Elite agent in your hands, and not only did you let her go, you helped her escape."

"Bale, I can explain." Orion offered in a calm, reasonable tone.

"Merlin's Beard, I hope so!" Bale stated firmly, settling back in his chair. "Because if you don't tell me the best story I've heard all year in the next five seconds, so help me, I'll drag you all the way to Azkaban myself."

"This year," Orion started, "how many Deatheater attacks did we stop? A dozen? More?"

"What's the point?" Bale asked, his fingers steepled in front of him as he fixed a hard stare on his agent.

"The point is the reason we were able to stop all of those attacks."

"Which has 'what' to do with any of this?"

"The reason we stopped those attacks was because Griss was the one who told me about them." Orion looked up at the man looming over him. "She's been my informant, Orin."

Bale froze where he was.

"She's what?" He asked quietly after a few moments.

"Katlin Griss has been passing information to me for the past year."

Katlin had always told Orion early on in their relationship that their appearing to trade information for the affair would benefit them one day. Katlin had been forced to use her cover early on to deflect Johnathan's attacks on her. Now it was his turn to make use of the carefully arranged lie and hope it held up.

"Why didn't you report any of this activity?" Bale asked.

Orion paused for a moment. "Because one of the things Griss told me was there was a spy in the Department."

Bale was on his feet again. "Who!?"

"I never found out." Orion replied without so much as flinching at his superior's outburst. "But I couldn't bloody well risk them finding out that she was the person passing on the Deatheaters information to us. They would have killed her and we would have lost the best informant we've ever had."

"And she was doing this because.....?"

"That's a bit of a longer story." Orion replied.

"I have all day to listen to it. I'm sure it'll prove fascinating."

"Orin, the point is she helped us. And I think for our part we should protect her a bit better. That's why I did what I did. I saw her in the battle and I got her out of there. Griss doesn't usually fight in common skirmishes. She's a spy. An Assassin. She doesn't fight well in large battles. Now, she's done a lot for us at a great risk to herself. And I don't think we can afford to lose her."

Bale sat back in his chair. "Before I decide what effort the Department of Mysteries is going to undertake to protect an Elite Deatheater, I want to know why Katlin Griss turned informant for us."

Orion sighed quietly, but didn't bother to keep a small, smug grin off his face for Bale's benefit. "Because I'm sleeping with her."

Bale sat for a full minute in silence before speaking again. "Pardon?" He asked in a tone that suggested Orion had just made some rather mundane comment that he didn't quite catch.

"I'm sleeping with her, Orin. Sex for secrets."

Bale shook his head. "I'm sorry. You're telling me......trying to tell me that Katlin Griss, my personal winner in the category for Deatheater I'd most like to spend an evening with, is passing Voldemort's secrets to us so she can sleep with you, because she can't get it anywhere else?"

"Not the way she wants it."

"Pardon?"

"The woman has some rather.......usual tastes, Orin. I'm willing to carter to them."

"How very duty-bound of you."

"I get the job done. She's satisfied. We get information."

Bale sat with his fingers resting against the bridge of his nose for several minutes.

"I want you to report for a de-briefing." Bale finally said. "If those boys clear you we'll discuss seeing what protection we can give your little...'informant'."

Orion got to his feet in as causal a manner as he could manage and left the room. In the hall he thought he was nearly going to collapse. Fooling Bale hadn't been easy. And he knew he hadn't succeeded completely. If he had, he wouldn't be being sent to the de-briefers. No. Bale had smelled something he didn't like. Others in the Department claimed the man could tell you what was under the dust-jacket of a book. He was just that good at reading people. Thankfully, the boys in de-briefing weren't quite as good. But fooling them as well would be no easy task. And if he got by them, Bale would consider whatever he had sensed not worth the trouble to go digging for.

Orion was back in Bale's office three hours later. He knew he had barely skirted through the de-briefing. But every slip he had managed to cover on the second try, explaining it off as being tired and having just come from a battle. A lie the de-briefers seemed satisfied with. That, and his record, had gotten him through. Now he once again faced his superior, who was sitting behind his desk reading over the report from the de-briefing.

"Well," Bale said finally as he laid the parchment down on his desk and leaned back in his chair, "it would seem we now need to look into how to protect your informant, Black."

Orion left his superior's office with one thought on his mind. Charly had been right. He had to get this out of his system. He was starting to make mistakes. Dangerous mistakes. It was his hatred. His hatred for the Deatheaters. For Voldemort. For anyone who had a part in taking Katlin away from him.

He had to get this out of his system.

Returning home, Orion sat for several hours on the sofa before a small, glowing fire. There had to be a way to deal with this.

Suddenly a small smile crept over his face.

Getting up Orion headed for the foyer. Grabbing a dark cloak out of the closet there he headed for the door.

"Come on, Bo. We're going for a walk."

Like a large, black bird of prey, the rush of dark material descended on the man from above. The material gently wrapped itself about him like the black cloak he already wore, and just as quickly dissolved about him.

Tonight would be a night the Deatheaters would remember for a long time to come.

He would see to it.

Q&A

Silverfox: Boy has a short memory. What can I say?

All right. All right. I'll accept that you didn't actually ask to see Snape. The record stands.

Bo is just an interesting character. There's no other way to put it. An almost unimaginably powerful force.....trapped in the mind of a child. The potential there is....interesting. But he is still immensely fun to work with. 

My father dislikes acronyms to the point a wise person does not use them in front of him. This makes it a bit more difficult for me as that I spend 8 hours a day, five days a week in the presence of people who practically can't talk in anything BUT acronyms. (Computer people are funny that way.)

Dumbledore helping Katlin seemed to throw most people for some reason. I looked at this way; regardless of Voldemort's power or lack thereof, Dumbledore was simply looking at it as helping a person who came to him. Also, who is to say that helping Katlin without any request for pay back won't benefit him in the future. Think about that one, folks. Dumbledore is no fool.

Sailor Sol: Again, keep in mind the man got himself into his own problem. he couldn't simply accept what part of herself Katlin was willing to give him. Which was substantial as it was.

Because you're talking to a person with a Master's in Psychology, lets just not do the personalities thing, OK?

Yeah.....he had a 'wonderful personality'. We all know what THAT means!

20F? (Looks out window where it is sunny and 61F.) Ha!

Having her meet and fall in love with Orion all over again would just be too simple, Dear. IF I went that way, you must know there would have to be a twist. But we'll have to wait and see.

shakducky: Yup. Our boy has a lot of balls in the air right now.

Yes, indeed, should they meet up, I would think that 'why did you let me go' would be high on Katlin's list of questions. And as you saw in this chapter, he covered quite well.

How dangerous could Bo be in the wrong hands if he has the mind of a child? Children can be easily manipulated, Dear. And the next chapter will show just how dangerous he can be, even if the hands he is in are those of a friend.

nessie: How can there actually be six people who choose that particular name?

Just making my point, Dear. The woman was distraught.

Stopping from writing your essay to review my story? I'm honored. I hope you got a good.........I mean super grade.

All reviews are as of 02082004.


	43. Chapter ThirtyFour: ControlPart Three

A/N: First off I would like to mention that as of last week, my story Family Life did make 100,000 hits. Currently, last week, it chalked up another 1,000. I am very excited.

Also, you remember back a long time ago I told you one day you were going to see what Bo really was all about?

Welcome to 'one day', folks.

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I turned on my computer this morning, and lo and behold, there was this story on it. I have no idea how it got there. But I read it over, thought it was pretty good and thought I should do something with it. So I decided to post it on Fanfiction.Net.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

****

Chapter Thirty-Four: Control - Part Three

Orion lay on the ridge of the small hill, watching the entrance to the cave as he had for almost the whole night. He had watched so many Deatheaters come and go from the lair he was starting to recognize not only familiar faces, but learn some of their habits as well. If certain ones would leave, he could almost predict when they would return. Others arrived early in the evening, but simply stood by the door, waiting for someone else before entering. Others came, entered, and left within a few minutes. Others had come and entered, but he had never seen them leave again.

Al in all, the activity reminded him something of a beehive.

Over the passing hours, slowly learning these things had been a great help in laying out his plan. He was learning how often people came and went. Where the guards were posted. Who was inside the lair at any given moment and approximately how many. All of these things were absolutely vital for his plan to go right.

Occasionally he became bored with the proceedings below, and would roll over on his back and stare up at the night sky. The air around him filled steadily with the sounds of the forest waking to the coming night. High above him his namesake charted a course across the star-strewn sky. Off to the right another namesake followed its own familiar path.

Sirius.

Almost unbidden Orion's thought's focused on his younger brother. The impetuous one of the family. The impulsive one. The reckless one. 

A frown creased itself across his lips. Why had he done the things he had done? Made the choices he had made? Didn't he understand that family came first? Everything else was secondary to that. Your friends. Your relationships. Everything. 

But Sirius never understood. He seemed to simply plug into everything blindly. Or more...selfishly. Not caring what loyalties were broken or what person was hurt. 

Slowly Orion could feel the anger rising in him. But he shook his head and quickly redirected the anger. He had to stop using Sirius as a spring board. One day he could make a mistake, lose his concentration, and he didn't even want to think of what could happen then. So instead he focused his thoughts back where he needed them to be. On Katlin.

Orion rolled over on his stomach and watched the cave entrance again. He didn't want to miss her. Not tonight.

Finally his patience paid off. A tall, thin figure with long, dark hair emerged from the cave. Silken streaks of red caught the dim illumination from the cave entrance behind her, shining with a bright and unmistakable radiance.

Katlin.

She moved with the grace of a lioness leaving her den for a nights hunting.

She turned briefly for a moment, glancing around her as thought something had suddenly caught her attention. In the dim light, Orion saw the small diamond pendent wink at him in the darkness. A smile crossed his lips. She still wore it. She hadn't taken it off. An oversight, most likely, but one he attached more hope to than one would have thought possible.

Orion watched the figure as though he were transfixed. Although months had gone by since he had seen or spoken to her, she still had the same effect on him. 

Orion let his thoughts drift back to happier times. Back when he had Katlin in his life still. When they had loved each other. When they would lay in each others arms at night, peaceful and contented.

And slowly, very slowly, those thoughts began to shift. Bright happy moments began to turn darker with the realization that they were now gone. 

That they wouldn't come back. 

Not ever.

And who was responsible?

Orion kept a small part of his mind working on that idea as he pulled himself to his feet, still watching his light as she stepped away from the cave entrance and disappeared into the woods.

She was gone now. Safely away from what was to come.

Orion began to make his way slowly down the hill. As he went, a few other left the lair. Orion didn't concern himself with them. A few rats were bound to escape. He would simply have to take what he could get.

Finally Orion came to the edge of the forest. From the cover of the trees he stood and watched. And waited. A few more Deatheaters left. Orion mused on how fortunate they were that Voldemort had chosen them that night for some task. Orion smiled as he listened to a few complaining as they left the lair.

Idiots! He thought. They had no idea just how lucky they were.

When he was satisfied that most of the activity was done for the moment, Orion reached back into his mind and brought forward again the thoughts he had been nursing there.

Again he thought of Katlin. Of the life they had had together. The one he had planned for them. Of how it had all now been destroyed. And who was responsible. And with those thoughts came the anger and the hatred. And when that reached it's peak, he began to add to it. He thought of the beautiful woman he had loved so desperately. Enough to set aside who she was. What she was. What she had done. To simply love her with his whole being. To hold her, caress her, make love with her. To sit at night and simply talk with her, her body resting comfortably against his as she snuggled closer to him on the sofa before a cheerful, friendly, warm fire. The nights they had gone out to dinners, or plays, or simply for a walk.

He let the errant thoughts continue. Happy memories. A time in his life when he truly felt peaceful and content and happy.

He thought of her. Of how beautiful she was to him. Her mind. Her body. Even her soul was beautiful to him. For in the depths of the darkness were it dwelled for so long, it had still found enough light in it to love him in return.

And now it was gone.

Orion's brows knitted together as he focused now on that thought. His Love was gone. All the love, the happiness, the peace, and the contentment that had been his life were gone.

And who was responsible for that?

Orion directed his thoughts now to only that one question.

Who was responsible for it all?

His lost love.

Who was responsible?

They were.

The Deatheaters.

All of them. Even the ones who didn't know her. They all shared the guilt by association. They all had torn his love away from him. Plunged him back into the painful loneliness that had been his life before she came. They all were responsible.

And they all had to pay.

Anger. Hatred. Pain.

Orion focused on the emotions with every part of his mind now. Tears came from the pain. But he quickly forced them back. 

Tears were release. And he didn't want anything to be released yet.

Anger. Hatred. Pain.

He wrapped himself in the emotions as he slowly stepped out from the cover of the trees. He could feel a tremor start within his body from the pent up emotions. And he smiled.

Anger. Hatred. Pain.

Orion stood now only several hundred yards before the cave entrance. The emotions within now screamed for release. The very air around him began to vibrate with them as he closed the distance even more between himself and the entrance to the Deatheaters lair. Orion seized hold of that energy and pulled it back within himself. No escape but for where and when he would allow it.

Anger. Hatred. Pain.

The force within him was almost painful now. Like a dam trying to hold back a flood as the raging waters slammed against it.

Orion concentrated. He had to hold onto it. He had to maintain control of it. Release only when and where he dictated. Random release was wasted energy.

Orion kept walking until he was barely a hundred yards away from the entrance.

Finally he stopped. He stared at the dim illumination within. He could heard the shuffle of movement further down the corridor. 

He could imagine their faces. 

Their voices. 

He thought of the things they had done.

He thought of his plans for a happy future now destroyed.

He thought of his lost love................the dam gave way.

Hands balled into fists at his sides, droplets of blood coming from between white-knuckled fingers, Orion threw open the gates and let the fury rage on in a new direction.

Directly on a path to the Deatheaters lair.

The streak cut a path of its own through the air, leaving something blacker than the night it had gone through behind.

Orion watched it go. 

And smiled.

Suddenly, before him a man appeared in the cave entrance. He must have been in a side corridor, attracted outside by the sound that would have seemed as a sudden rush of strong wind down the corridor he stood off of. The man seemed utterly surprised to see Orion standing there. A solitary figure, standing still as stone and completely unafraid.

"Hey!" The man called out. "What are you doing here? Who are you?"

When Orion didn't answer, or even seem to hear him, the man quickly pulled out his wand.

But he never used it.

Slowly, quietly, a sound behind him drew his attention away from the man in front of him and back to the cave entrance. 

It began as a low rumble. A few stray rocks came rolling down the sides of the mountain and rolled past his feet. The man turned and listened. 

He felt the ground under his feet begin to shake slightly. Like a small earthquake. 

Slowly the sound and the shaking increased. But not in intensity. In sound. The rumble remained low, but now it was a menacing sound. One that made you afraid even if you didn't know the source. The shaking under his feet seemed to reach lower. Deeper into the earth. The force driving it almost a physical thing on its own as it moved the ground around it.

The man's eyes widened in fear as he took a few steps back from the cave entrance. 

Then the screams started. Horrified. Afraid. Painful.

Rocks began shaking loose higher up and come rolling down the steep mountain side, clearing a path of destruction and carrying dust and debris with them. The man jumped aside just in time to avoid a larger one as it swept past him. But his attention quickly returned to the cave entrance. A thin cloud of dust had started to form there, obscuring further the dim light from within. 

Then suddenly, like a candle being extinguished, the light went out completely. And with it, the screams were silenced. 

The man watched in horror as the mountain side before him seemed to expand outward. He stumbled back several yards, afraid the entire mountain was going to suddenly explode right before him. 

But abruptly the movement stopped. It seemed to stall for a moment. Then, without warning, the mountain contracted back on itself. Not a single shingle of rock fell outward. The entire mountain simply seemed to collapse in on itself. 

A large gathering cloud of dust plumed up from the center, growing in mass and density as it rose into the air. 

The man stood watching in silence. 

He looked up slowly as small bits of ash began to fall to the ground around him. He held his hand out, catching a few in his palm. As he brought them closer to examine them, he realized that the objects weren't ash, but small, black, charred flakes. 

He turned back to the mountain, now a nearly ground level heap of rubble littering the ground. Not a single sound came from within.

The Deatheater turned very slowly to where the man had been standing.

All that greeted him was the dark night.

(Next week, the Deatheaters reaction to the destruction of their lair.)

Q&A

nessie: Ohhhhh, Scottish?! Does we live in Scotland, Dear? PAR likes Scotland very much!

Yes, yes. chapter was short. over and above everything else, people seemed to latch onto that one point more than anything else. But I never promised all the chapters would be long. I think the problem is I just spoiled you guys with long chapters for too long.

I have a hard time, Dear, imagining that you wouldn't be good with figurative language. Some of your reviews are extremely entertaining and very creative. I would think writing an essay for you would be child's play.

Good luck anyway.

sweets: Thank you, Dear. It is never easy to lose someone.

OK. I'll try to clear this up for you. In regards to being in danger because she's a Deatheater, why should that be any different from how things were before she met Orion? Aurors were still after her then.

As for your next point, Katlin never was an informant for the ministry. That was just a cover Orion came up with to get the Aurors to stay away from her in a fight. Sort of his way of protecting her. If they think she's working for them, they'll be less apt to kill her on sight.

Things only stand to get messier.

The only reason I banned you from guessing, Dear, was you were just too GOOD at it. You were negating my having to write this thing at all.

And it wasn't really a ban, so to speak. Just a general discouragement.

Eva Phoenix Potter: Afraid of what Orion might do? Well, currently he's just wiped out a lair of deatheaters. Good or bad thing, folks? You decide.

skahducky: Indeed, you learned a good deal more about Orion's enigmatic little boggart in this chapter. Mostly that he isn't just all cute and cuddly. Bo is an extremely dangerous force, currently in the hands of a very angry young man. Bad equation, folks.

How can helping Katlin benefit Dumbledore if she doesn't remember it? Well, Dear, who was it that placed that memory charm? Who do you think could remove it if they needed to? That's commonly referred to as a ace up your sleeve. Of course, now the question is, would Dumbledore actually use that trump card he's holding against Voldemort if he had to, knowing the repercussions to Katlin if he did?

Katlin never mentioned Dumbledore's name to Bo, not thinking Bo would know who Dumbledore is (which he does, by the way). She only referred to him as the 'old wizard', as per Bo's conversation with Orion.

Sailor Sol: Thank you for the condolences, Dear.

Yes, yes. It was short. What can I say?

I would be the last one to imply Orion is acting with the wisdom of the ages here.

What people do in the name of love, Dear? Try 'revenge'. 'Love' has very little to do with Orion's actions.

Silverfox: Short chapter packed with a LOT of possible trouble! Most of which came to light in this chapter.

Orion doesn't need to pretend Katlin is his informant. Just convince his superior that she is. Our boy is doing the 'living in the moment' thing right now. Cover your * today, worry about it all over again tomorrow.

What's he about to do with poor Bo? Think of it as 'taking him out for walkies'.....and a little exercise.

Trust me, my father would not like the people I work with.

Roll (aka Semmel): The point is, Dear, that you DO review. And for that I am grateful.

Dear, if you don't have exams in those subjects, why study?

Anyway, congratulations on graduating. Always exciting.

No offense taken, Dear.

Reviews are as of 02152004.

And remember, 

Even if you're on the right track, you still get run over if you just sit there. 


	44. Chapter ThirtyFive: Control Part Four

A/N: Someone once told me, never put in your story.....'And next week.....'. But I thought it would be cute. Sort of like a preview. And what happens? I end up missing my deadline. What can I say, folks? It's been a very unusual two weeks. And then Friday I had the whole of the last eleven days all rolled into one when I was late for church, the car broke down, cost me out the nose to get it fixed, late for work, work was swamped, had to sing for Saturday mass, got music at 5:00PM Friday night, rushed home, and was late for dinner.

The only GOOD thing that happened all day was dinner, because my Mom is an excellent cook! Even if it is just grilled cheese sandwiches.

Then I missed another Sunday posting. Sorry, guys.

And then on the news Monday night I heard the most horrible thing. In Florida, just off of a major highway in the middle of a large, busy city, there was a large glass building which, for whatever reason, suddenly produced an image on one side of it which too many looked very much like an image of the Virgin Mary. This stood, undisturbed for years with the exception of some idiot who threw acid on it. The image remained unmarred from the attack. But now some useless waste of space shot a ball-bearing into the window that shattered the top portion of the image. This was not only a devastating act, but also a pointless one. What possible reason could there be for such a malicious act?

I am afraid I am not among the good Christians on the news, spouting on how they will pray for the person(s) responsible. I am among those who believe we should bring back stocks and public hangings. Because believe me, I would drive an hour just to throw something rotten and disgusting in the face of this worthless, wasted creature that is using up space that could have been put to much better use. 

Anyway, that's the summary of the last two weeks.

On with the story.

And as always, 

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Who? Me? Nope. 

Chapter Thirty-Five: Control - Part Four

Voldemort stood outside the remains of the lair. He had dropped the anti-apparation spells and apparated out when the tremors had first started, as had many others. Now he stood before the pile of rocks, dirt, and debris. His own innate magic searching through what remained for any sign of life. But his hope of finding any were low. The majority of what had once been one of his principal lairs was now a molten sheet of rock, spread out across the ground it had once stood on. An entire mountain...., gone.

Who had done this? Who was responsible for such destruction? Who could have destroyed and entire mountain with a single spell? Surely not the other wizard? The one his Elites had been warning him about.

No. Not him. He knew nothing of Voldemort and his Deatheaters yet. So far Voldemort had enlisted only his spies to keep watch on the rouge wizard and his activities to learn what he could of him.

No. This wasn't his work. This was the result of a raw power. One that started without form or purpose. Harnessed by a powerful wizard who had given it both. Directing it against his people.

This was a wizard that he needed to stop.

Voldemort continued his search. But along with it he search for any remnant of the power that had done this thing. Somewhere within the rubble a trace had to be left behind. Something he could use to tell him who had done this thing. Who had managed such ruin. 

Abruptly the dark wizard pulled back. Almost physically stepping back from the remains of the lair. 

He had found the force. The power itself. Still there. Still doing it's work.

And it had felt him. Turned on him. Tried to attack him.

The force had not come after his people.

It had come for him.

It wanted him.

Voldemort reached out again. He found the power quickly enough. But this time he kept his distance. Too close and it would sense him again and attack. And so Voldemort skirted about it. Like someone playing a game of touch with a blind man. Finding out what he could through feather-light touches, but pulling quickly out of reach again when the force sensed him and tried to grab hold of him.

Finally Voldemort turned to the man next to him.

"Bring Carter here."

Treaks nodded and within a few moments returned to Voldemort's side, practically dragging a very frightened looking man behind him.

"My lord." Treaks announced, throwing the man before Voldemort.

The smaller man barely looked up at the dark lord. His eyes still showed nothing but absolute fear.

"Tell me again what you saw last night." Voldemort instructed the man on the ground without once taking his eyes off the destruction before him.

The smaller man practically shook in fear as he fought for the words. "I......I heeeeeeard something. Outside. And I went to investigate. And ther.......there was this man....standing before the lair. Just....just stannnnding there. Like he didn't even see me. Then.....then's when I heard the sound. Like.....it was like an earthquake. Or a volcano erupting. And.....aaaannnnnnnd the whole mountain......just fell. Like....like something reached in and hollowed it out, and what was left jussssst collapsed in on itself."

"And the man?" Voldemort asked in a low, level tone. "What became of this man?"

The little man shook even harder. "I........I don't know mmmmmy lord. He.....he vanished. I turned around and he was.......just gone. He was like a ghost."

A cold, hard stare turned to the man. "A ghost did not destroy my lair." Voldemort informed him in a sharp, dangerous tone. "A ghost did not level an entire mountain to the ground. A ghost did not nearly kill over half of my Deatheaters."

"Nooooooo, mmmmy lord." The man stammered.

"Treaks!"

Treaks quickly stepped before his lord.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Take this sniveling creature to the interrogators. Question him until you have a solid picture of what this 'ghost' looked like. Then bring it to me."

Treaks grabbed the man by the back of his shirt and dragged him away.

As he stood there, Voldemort felt another presence step up next to him.

"Who?" A soft, frightened sounding feminine voice asked. "Who could have been responsible for such a thing?" 

A tight grip seized his arm.

"It wasn't the other?" Katlin asked in a hushed voice. "Surely he didn't do this thing?"

Voldemort pulled his own magic back to himself before he turned to her. "No. I don't believe it was him at all."

"Then who? Who else could have directed such power?" 

Voldemort felt a small shudder go through her body.

"I was here." She whispered. "Just a few moments before it happened. I had only just left. If I had waited, or stopped to talk to someone.....to talk to a person I'll never see again....." 

Voldemort listened to her words trail off into silence. But he didn't pay much attention to the soft sobs that followed. Instead his attention had been fully caught by her words. By what she had said.

She had only been there a few moments before this happened. The assailant struck after she had left.

After.

No. That was a far-fetched coincidence.

But who could be responsible?

A quick census showed that more had gotten out than Voldemort had first thought. But even that left many others still missing.

Someone was going to pay.

The next morning Orion arrived at his office to a call for a general meeting.

Sighing quietly he fell into step behind several others as they all filed into an assembly hall and began taking their seats. Orion quickly looked about for Charlie, but not seeing his partner, settled for a seat between two other Aurors who were nervously discussing the possibilities for the meeting.

Orion couldn't blame them for being nervous. The last general assembly had been to announce the Ministries decision to allow Unforgivable Curses to be used against the Deatheaters. And no one had foreseen the potential outcome of that decision. Just as they had no idea what the end result of this meeting would be.

Orion sat in silence, staring at the podium on the stage before him.

He alone had a fairly certain idea what the meeting was about.

After all the Aurors had filed in and the doors were closed, Orin Bale apparated onto the stage before the gathering and stood behind the podium. 

From there he proceeded to inform those eagerly listening in the seats before him of an attack waged against the Deatheaters the previous night by an unknown group of attackers who had managed to nearly wipe out one of Voldemort's lairs. Orion listened in a disinterested fashion as Bale continue on about the particulars of the attack as they had pieced it together. A frown etched its way across his face as Bale indicated the Department's belief that many of the Deatheaters had survived the attack, managing to get out before the lair's ultimate destruction.

From a dark alcove across the room Charlie watched his partner's expression deepen into more and more dis-satisfaction as Bale continued to describe what the Department knew of the attack. He only broke off his scrutiny when the others in the hall got to their feet and the group headed for the doors.

Things were now officially out of hand.

It was time for another meeting. 

Charlie was just lifting a level shot glass of scotch to his lips when a hand seized him from behind and dragged him off the barstool he was sitting on. A few seconds later he found himself slammed up against a brick wall in the back alleyway.

Pulling himself upright, he rubbed his sore shoulder as he fixed his stare on the man before him.

"Look," he stated in a heated voice, "it's bad enough your showing up early and now I have to listen to you sober. But is it really necessary to get physical about it?"

"And I'm not here to listen to you whine, Misser. Do you have any idea what happened last night?"

Despite what he may have felt about the attack, Charly fixed his face into as neutral an expression as he could manage. "Of course we know." He replied solemnly. "Bale called a general assembly about it this morning."

"And what exactly are the Aurors going to do about it?"

"Do?" Charly asked with a look of surprise. He tapped his chin a few times in thought before turning his attention back to the man before him. "We've considered having a grand blow out at the ministry. Would you like an invite?"

The fist nearly connected with Charly's face before he stopped it.

"People were killed in that attack, Misser." Treaks yelled at the man.

"Deatheaters were killed in that attack." Charly replied in a mild, disinterested tone. "And why do you care? You're not a Deatheater anymore."

Treaks seemed to have to think over his answer for a moment. "Some of them are still people I know. Still people I used to work with."

"And yet oddly enough, you never once said the word 'friends'."

"They were Deatheaters. And of the two I choose to feel more regret when a Deatheater is killed than an Auror."

"And this is exactly why we each had to give up our separate affiliations when we accepted this assignment, Treaks. We do not work for the Ministry or Voldemort anymore. All we are is the eyes and ears of our master within those organizations. We work for the good of the master. Not Voldemort, and not the Ministry. Because both of them are blind to the truth of what is going on in the world. They have no idea where the true danger lies."

Treaks fixed a cold stare on Charly. "They were still people I knew."

"And I'm sorry for that." Charly replied in a slightly softer tone. "But I've lost people I worked beside as well in this. You get through it by remembering what your fighting for. You're fighting for their lives. To bring this whole division to an end and unite all of the wizarding community under one leader. There will be no more Deatheaters. No more Ministry. Only those who serve the master and work for the good of the wizarding world."

Treaks sneered at the man before him. "And I don't need your muggle logic to tell me how to deal with things. I know the master's wishes. And I know how to accomplish them."

"Fine. Then perhaps you can put that wonderful logic of yours to work and figure out how we solve our latest problem. Because this has tipped the scales too far, and the master won't be pleased when he learns of it. And we don't have very long before we'll have to report it. We can only delay something like this for so long."

But Treaks waved off the Auror's concern. "That isn't a problem."

"No?"

"We'll tell him we didn't want to report until the situation had been stabilized."

"Stabilized?"

"All parts of the equation equal again, Misser. That's the way the master wants things. He'll probably even reward us if we do it right"

Charly folded his arms across his chest. He didn't like where this was going.

"And what is 'right'?" He asked.

"You side has an unfair advantage, Misser. That's the problem."

"Really?"

"Yes. The Ministry took out one of the Deatheaters lairs. I think the fair solution is that the Deatheaters take out one of the ministries offices. A major one."

Charly came straight up to the man's face. "Have you finally, utterly lost your mind?"

"What's wrong, Misser? An Auror can take out a lair, but the Deatheaters can't claim a similar victory? Hardly fair."

"We're not talking 'fair', here, Treaks. We're talking people's lives."

"Ah! And that only matters when we're talking Aurors lives, and not Deatheaters, is that it, Misser? It doesn't matter if it's people I know who die. Just as long as it isn't any of your little friends?"

Charly stared back at the man.

"Where are your high morals now, Misser? Now that your high sung words are staring you back in the face? 'Actions for the common good', you said. The wishes of the master."

"You're not discussing the wishes of the master here. You're talking 'revenge'. Your revenge for the destruction of the lair."

Treaks gave him a small smile that Charly physically pulled back from. He hated that smile. It always meant trouble. 

"All right, Misser. Never let it be said I am not a fair man. We won't look at this number for number. Let's focus instead, on the real perpetrator. The real problem at the center of everything. The unfair advantage the Aurors have over the Deatheaters really comes down to one person. So, let's not think of this in terms of going to the master and saying, 'we evened the game person for person'. Let's instead say 'we evened the game strength for strength'."

"Meaning?"

Treaks shook his head. "Don't play the fool, Misser. You know what I'm talking about. The problem at the center of everything is Black. He is the uneven factor between the two factions. And I'll tell you how you solve a problem like that, Misser. You eliminate it."

"You're right, Treaks. I am no fool. And I know very well what you're trying to do. You're making the problem where you want me to see it. You're trying to force me into a position of choosing between a group or one life. Those I work with...or my best friend. Well, I have news for you. You've already made my choice for me."

"Indeed?"

"Destroying one of the Ministry's offices may even the game, but it won't solve the problem. Not the way the master would want. And Black can't be killed. Not by you."

"Really." 

"As I recall you've already tried that once, Treaks. And the master was very clear why Orion was not to be killed."

"Rubbish."

"It's not rubbish, Treaks. I've seen this thing. Have you? I've seen what it can do."

"So have I!" The Elite snapped back at him. "Standing before the remains of my lair."

"A small fraction." Charly replied calmly. "That's what the master said. That was but a small fraction of what it can do. And he's right. And I'll tell you what else he's right about. Orion is the only person who can control that thing. You get rid of him, and that thing will run rampant, with no one able to control it. That thing only listens to Orion."

Treaks stared down his nose at the man before him. "What about the other one?"

Charly gave a low, soft laugh. "Are you serious? You're going to try and manipulate that one? Have you ever even met the man, Treaks? You think the son is bad, but you're willing to try and take on his father without a thought? Talon Black put that thing where it is, Treaks. Now, with that in mind, do you really want to go one on one with the man who was capable of doing that? The man will spit you out before you even know you've been chewed up."

"Fine. We can't control the son. We can't control the father. Then we'll go for the third part of the equation."

Charly was completely sure he didn't like the smile slowly creeping its way across the man's lips.

"What third part?" he asked slowly.

"Black has another weakness. One that is far easier to exploit."

"Which would be?"

"Katlin Griss."

****

Q&A

skahducky: OK, lets go one at a time here. First, true, Dumbledore would likely only remove the memory charm if Katlin directly requested it. Two, if he removed it, why would she only remember she had a memory charm and nothing else? If he removes the Memory Charm, isn't she going to remember everything it was placed there to make her forget?

OK, the deal with Bo....it's a bit more complicated than that, actually. And I could write a few pages on it if you wanted, but let me try to sort of summarize instead.

First off, Bo isn't a 'person', he's a thing. An 'entity'. That's the first mistake people make about him. Second, he just happens to be sentient. Third, he's only sentient to about the level of a really well-behaved three year old (Has anyone actually ever seen one of those?). So what does all that mean? Well, it means Bo never really does much on his own. He kind of lives his life vicariously through Orion. That's why a host is so important to him.

So, what happened at the lair? Bo wasn't feeding off of Orion's anger so much as was he learning from it. Keep in mind, Orion is the host. The 'channeler'. If Orion had just gone to the lair and told Bo, 'destroy it', Bo won't have understood. The whole thing for Bo would have come down to 'why?'. But instead, Orion went to the lair with Bo 'in tow'. When he got there he began to feed off of his own anger so that Bo would have something to focus on. 

Bo is just the power. Orion was its motivation. 

Remember what Orion said, Bo doesn't really hate anyone. So why would he have destroyed the lair on his own? Or even at Orion's command? For him it would have come down to 'why'. Orion gave him a reason. Hatred. And once Bo tapped into that emotion, it's like light a match to gasoline. He doesn't really understand the emotion, but he can feel it.

And you're not even dealing with two separate beings at that point either. Another point that's important to keep in mind.

Any clearer now, Dear? Probably not. But I never said Bo was easy to understand. Just fun to write about.

nessie: A book report due in twelve hours and your reading my stuff instead? I'm honored.

No, Dear. It's not resentment. It's good old sibling rivalry.

OK, you get the honor of teaching PAR something. I have an idea, and a lot of research has given me a few good guesses. But I want it straight. What is a 'Chibi' and how do you pronounce it?

Well, this one ranked in at a decent 7 pages. That should be better.

I hope the book report went well, Dear.

Silverfox: You have to understand my Dad is very old world. Technology is not his favorite thing.

I love this!!!!!!! 'Has Orion ever considered stopping to think about what he might have done wrong?' 

Yes, Dear. He did. But have you ever known someone who stopped to think.....and then forgot to start again? That's sort of where our boy Orion is right now. He's just not using all the cylinders of the engine right now. He angry. He's hurt. And he's a man...who essentially got dumped. Not a happy camper. And probably a first for him as well.

Yeah, you almost do feel sorry for them. I mean, here you have a man, who controls a power the likes of which few people can even fathom, who is basically just plain pissed off, looking for a target.

Oh! Look! Deatheaters!

Poor Deatheaters.

sweets: Oh, no, Dear. You go right ahead. I love theories. Lay 'em on me. If your wrong, I'll tell you. If you're right, if you haven't noticed yet, I sort of skirt around your comment or just outright tell you I won't answer it because it would interfere with the story (or some lame excuse like that).

So you go right ahead. Especially if you're seeing connections here with Family Life, because this story does relate to that one. And if someone is seeing the connections, I'm thrilled. It means I'm not being nearly as convoluted as I thought. 

So no, no. Not fair. Lay that theory on me!

Oh, and good luck on the test, Dear, though you have likely already taken it.

Sailor Sol: Enjoy college, kid. Because after it comes the real world, and it's no fun at all.

Well it's sort of more than just collapsed the mountain. What he did (or more, what Bo did) was implode it. Takes a lot more energy to implode something than explode it. But he wasn't looking for flash. He was looking for revenge.

Past that, as you read in this chapter, he literally disintegrated what was left. This wasn't just destroying the lair. This was annihilating it.

Reviews are as of 02292004. (Yeah, yeah. I know. It's 03032004. What of it?)

And remember:

Never go into a battle of wits if you aren't properly armed.


	45. Chapter ThirtySix: Scenes From A Restaur...

A/N: Oy! The trouble I had with this one!

First I wasn't sure where to put it. Then I wasn't sure if it was here. Then I had time line problems with it. 

as I said.....Oy!

But here it is, folks.

And as always, 

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Honestly, folks. Haven't you figured this out yet? Do you want to see the bank statement?

  
**CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: SCENES FROM A RESTAURANT**

After their last meeting, Charly had begun to stick to his partner like proverbial glue. The smile on Treaks' face when they had last parted had sent up every warning flag Charly thought he had. The man was up to something, and it couldn't be anything good.

And Orion wasn't making things any easier for him. Since the attack on the Deatheaters lair, he had hoped the man's disposition might brighten a little. But it seemed to do just the opposite. Every day his mood seemed a little darker. His attention a little less focused. 

After several weeks had past, Charly began to wonder if Orion had ever severe the connection between himself and the power. But questioning him about it, Charly quickly learned, was the quickest path to a fight with the man. But more than once he would sit across from his partner and look into the man's eyes and swear he didn't know the person looking back at him. Orion was starting to shut down from people. From the outside world in general. But mostly, from his partner. A feeling Charly didn't like one bit.

And for that very reason Charly had practically forced the man to accept an invitation to dinner with him that night. 

For the most part the evening went much as Charly expected it would. Orion sat at the table across from his partner, watching him eat with the same half interested look that Orion watched everything for the past several weeks. 

So far Charly had made it through his appetizer, soup, salad, and was currently working on the main course, a basted breast of chicken, all the while discussing what they should have for desert. The problem was, it was a fairly one sided conversation. For one thing, Orion wasn't eating anything. But he was well on his way to his fourth scotch. And the only contribution he had made to the conversation in the past ten minutes was suggesting his desert be a fourth.

"Merlin's Beard!" Charly finally stated, shoving the basket of rolls across the table as Orion signaled the waiter. "At least have a little food with your alcohol."

"I hate mixing food and alcohol, Charly." Orion replied with a slight smile, handing the waiter his empty glass and quickly ordering another. "It kills the taste."

Charly sighed and went back to his meal. 

"Is your liver even still speaking to you at this point?"

"No. It just sends me postcards every now and then to let me know it's still alive."

"Well, keep up the way you're going and those will stop one day soon."

Orion happily toasted the man across the table with the glass the waiter had just left and quickly downed half the drink.

"I thought that was your desert?" Charly asked.

"Actually it's my main course."

"How did you figure that?"

"Well," Orion reasoned out with a surprising amount of clarity that showed he was even paying half as much attention as Charly credited him with night, "you had an appetizer, I had a drink. You had soup, I had a drink. You had salad, I had a drink. That's three drinks. You're on your main course," He added, toasting the man again with the last half of the drink before quickly downing it, "and I'm behind." Orion quickly looked about for the waiter again as Charly shook his head and went back to his meal.

"And I'm going to end up taking a sodding drunk home to sleep it off at my place." Charly commented.

When the remark failed to get any answer of protest, as it usually did, Charly glanced across the table. 

Sitting in his chair, Orion was now staring transfixed at a table a few booths away from where they were sitting.

"Got to be some bird." Charly stated, turning about in his seat to see what Orion was gawking at. "I know that look on your face. Sober or not you can always......"

But Charly stopped abruptly as he caught sight of what had his partner so entranced.

Sitting in the booth, closest to the end of the seat, was Katlin Griss.

Charly turned quickly back to his partner, whose eyes hadn't shifted from the other booth.

"Orion!" He stated, snapping his fingers in front of him. "Let it go."

But Orion didn't even acknowledge he had heard Charly let alone that he saw anything past the woman sitting at the end of the booth, laughing at something one of her companions had said.

"Three months." Orion whispered after a few moments. "Three months and I would still know that laugh."

"Orion." Charly said in a low, warning voice. "Sit! Stay!"

Orion shifted his gaze suddenly to the man across from him. "I'm not going to do anything, Charly."

"Famous last words?"

But Orion's expression suddenly changed to one of dismal disbelief.

"What?" Charly asked.

"She's with Johnathan Treaks." Orion replied just above a whisper.

"Who's a Deatheater Elite, Orion. No big surprise. She's out having dinner with her friends." Charly chanced another quick look. "Too bad their not all Deatheaters. We could have a spot of fun tonight. Not sure about the other couple though."

"But......Johnathan Treaks? Charly, she hates the man."

"She got on with life, Orion." Charly told his partner pointedly across the table. "Which is what you're suppose to be doing. All right? Best for everyone and all that?"

But Orion's gaze stayed fixed on the small gathering in the booth. Charly glanced up just to see a small smile form on his partner's lips.

"Oh........, dark corners of a pensive! She looked at you, didn't she? I know that smile." Charly quickly threw his napkin on the table and got to his feet. "All right, mate. That's it." He said, pulling out his wallet and laying several bills on the table to cover the meal as well as Orion's drinks. "I'm not even going to let this get started." He grabbed Orion firmly by the arm and pulled him to his feet from the chair. "Let's go."

Orion tried to pull free of the man's grip to no avail. 

"Charly!"

But Charly hardly gave his partner time to think let alone act as he steadily directed Orion for the door of the restaurant, which unfortunately, with no detours, took them right past Katlin Griss' booth. Orion gave a sharp pull on Charly's hold on his arm, trying to turn towards the booth. But Charly was quicker tonight and pulled him back around and shoved him quickly past the booth. 

Had Orion been sober, everything would have gone just as Charly hoped. But the redirection of Charly's shove proved too much for his feet to sort out and instead of sending him towards the door, Orion tripped right over Katlin's table, practically ending in her lap.

Charly immediately reached for the back of the man's shirt as he noted Treaks had pulled Katlin about in a supposed attempt to keep Orion from falling on her. But Charly knew all too well the move was so much more. It was keeping her from even seeing him at all.

With a solid yank, Charly had his partner steadied back on his feet and headed for the door.

"Little too much to drink." He offered as they passed the table.

Treaks returned Charly's smile with such a look of self-satisfaction it was all Charly could do not to release his grip and let Orion have a go at the man. But he held firm to his partner and continued to head for the door.

"There's a good boy, mate." Charly said finally, shoving Orion out onto the sidewalk and quickly directing him down it. "Lets go have a nice nap, all right?"

But Orion pulled away from him, turning an anger stare on him.

"What did you do that for!?" He demanded. "What did you think I was going to do?"

"The list of stupid possibilities is almost endless."

"For instance then?"

"Try talking to her?"

Orion opened his mouth, but closed it just as quickly.

"Orion," Charly stated a little more sympathetically. "Look, I know how much you loved her. Merlin's Beard, man! You were going to marry the woman. I've known you for over twenty years, and you've never taken so much as one step towards the 'm' word. But Orion," Charly continued on, trying again to direct him away from the restaurant, "mate, you made a mistake. A big one. And......this was the only way to fix it. You know that. Now just.....let it go." Charly rested his hands on his friend's shoulders as he stood in front of him, looking him squarely in the eye. "It's what's best for everyone, all right? It's what's best for her, Orion."

Orion met Charly's stare with his own, hard, cold one.

"All right?" Charly asked again.

Orion paused, but then slowly the coldness in the stare melted as Orion dropped his eyes and slowly nodded.

"That's my mate then." Charly replied with a pleased smile. "Come on. We'll go up town and see if we can't find us a couple of birds to take your mind off things, hey?"

But Orion held back, finally shaking his head as Charly walked back over to him.

"I just want to go home, Charly." Orion stated a little forlornly. "It's been a very long night."

"All right. But why don't you stay over at my place tonight?"

Orion managed a genuine smile for his friend.

"Don't trust me?"

"I think you've had a good bit too much to be trying to apparate home, Orion, my boy. So come on then. I've got a nice lumpy couch just waiting for you."

Orion allowed Charly to lead him off down the road. An hour later he was bunked down on Charly's sofa, softly snoring away the rest of the night.

****

Q&A

nessie: I'm sure you weren't the only one slightly confused by Treaks not being a Deatheater, Dear. But the point is, he's not. Just as Charly stated, when they began working for the wizard in the north, they had to drop their separate affiliations. So just as Treaks is not a Deatheater, nor is Charly an Auror. they are agents for the wizard in the north.

Chibi - kid. Works for me.

Very happy for you on your grades.

Harry, right now, is either about to be born or just born. Keep in mind Voldemort hasn't come into his full power yet. And Harry defeated him when he was just about eight months old.

Happy Birthday, Dear. I hope you enjoyed it.

Thank you for being understanding. I do try to post as regularly as I can.

As for Gentle Persuasion, yes, the woman is very good at what she does. And one point I was surprised no one made a comment about was that Arabella and Katlin are in the same field. They are both interrogators. And if push came to shove, I would have to say Arabella is better at it than Katlin, and with a lot less blood loss involved.

Sorry, but yes, Sirius is not in Family Relations very much.

How do I know how old you are, Dear? Just making sure the PG13 is being properly enforced. And of course it's not graphic. How could I do that to Rowling's work? 'Show a little respect', I say.

Oh! THAT flame. Yes, I remember that one. And I believe I responded to that one that if there were a Mary Sue in that story (which there wasn't), the closest to me would be Analisa, not Arabella.

I should go looking for that story. But I have read a few stories where half way through I had to sit and ask 'Did you even bother reading the original?'. 

Sailor Sol: Dear, I need some help with this. Why would they go after Sirius? Much as I love to write about him and would throw him into this story as just a cameo appearance in a heartbeat, to my knowledge he doesn't show his furry little hide in this story at all.

Vermont in the dead of winter? Sounds nice. All peaceful and quiet and white.

The real world is kinda' on my tail right now. Hopefully things will settle down soon and I can take a break from the running around I'm doing.

Silverfox: THAT'S what I should have put. 'Next chapter'. Not 'next week'.

Man, you come up with the best stuff.

Let me see if I can sort this out for you. I did say Bo was not easy to explain, just fun to write about. 

In answer to your question, no, Charly and Treaks are not wrong in their assumption of how dangerous Bo would be without Orion. Without Orion, Bo would have no purpose. No guiding force. He would be just sort of 'there'. Orion is sort of Bo's translator in the world he's in. 

And again, keep in mind, please, that Bo is not a person. He's an entity. it makes a tremendous difference in trying to understand him.

What Charly and Treaks are wrong about is the understanding they are working with that Orion is Bo's host. He's not. And, yes, I know you've heard me say before that he is. But I have always (tried) to paraphrase that with 'channeler'. The host of the Power is simply the physical 'structure' that allows it to stay here from wherever it was called. 

Bo's host is the oldest Black male capable of serving as a host. Who does that leave? 

Talon. 

And Talon is the one who put the power in the boggart. As is he the one who has absolute control over it (as much as anyone does). You actually are missing a chapter here that I left out for several reasons, in which Orion has a run in with his father for what he did to the Deatheaters lair. Not for what he did 'to' the lair. But how he did it. Talon's biggest thing with his eldest son was that he never use the Power, which is exactly what Orion did.

So, no, Orion is not the Power's host. His father is.

Are we all good and confused now?

Back to your question. Would Bo take revenge if someone killed Orion? Is the Pope catholic? I mean, I would not want to be that person, Dear, that's for sure. Talk about your 'no safe place in the world to hide' scenario.

Now, with that in mind, lets take a little look back at a comment Charly has made several times in several different ways. A comment that boils down to that the wizard in the north does not, under any circumstances, want Orion killed. Now, knowing what you know now, why do you think that is? Man might like to live?

Aside from avenging his friend, would Bo do any other harm? Think about it, Dear. He's out to avenge his friend being killed. How would he know when to stop? That would be a three year old on a really BAD temper tantrum.

Will you ever get to meet Talon? Well, as you read already, you nearly did. But due to a great many factors, his chapter was dropped. Will he ever make an appearance? Oh yes. Just not any time soon.

Skahducky: Skahducky, I think that was about the longest review I've ever had from you. And such a nice one. With a theory! Oh, PAR just loves theories!

Yes, Bo does listen to Katlin. Would he ever hurt her? Depends on what she does. Bo's ultimate responsibility, as he sees it, is to Orion. If Katlin were to attack Orion for whatever reason, all bets are off.

Bo tries to scare everybody.

Wait! You lost me, Dear. 'The only way Katlin would do that is if the memory charm was removed, which she might be willing to do if she's asked by Treaks to go after some Death Eater because that's what Orion would seem to her at the time'. 

Why would Treaks ask Katlin to go after her own people? And Katlin does not see Orion as Deatheater. She sees him as an Auror. Or perhaps I just misunderstood the statement, Dear. Try me again.

Ok, going on. If Katlin did realize she had a memory charm on her, she would likely assume it was not Voldemort who put it there, and she might point the finger at Dumbledore, assuming he was not part of the memory charm (Which he was, by the way. Figures into the story later. But it unfortunately blows the rest of your theory.).

She would find 'something out about the truth of her past in there'. I find that statement rather interesting. Mostly because I am hoping that, one, people have started to question if what Orion told Katlin was even the truth, and next, she would check it out herself.

Loved the theory, Dear. Keep 'em coming. Keeps me on my toes.

****

FAMILY LIFE

texasjeanette: Very glad you are enjoying it, Dear.

****

GENTLE PERSUASION

The Unicorn Whisperer: Well hey, Whip! *Hugs*

Of course, I remember you! How's Zimmy? Haven't heard from that one in a while.

Indeed, the boy will have trouble getting anything past his godparents. And to make things worse, in Family Relations, now it looks like he's off to live with Sirius' brother, Orion, whose an Unspeakable, and reads body language like a second language.

I wondered how many people noticed just how gradual the effect was on Harry. There was a reason it was written that way. Usually, while interrogating for the Ministry, Arabella is out of the room almost before she enters it. But with Harry, she had to fight her way past his natural ability to ward off an Imperious Curse. He was also aware of the fact that she was up to something, even if he didn't know exactly what.

My goodness, you were just really on top of this story. I'm happy when someone catches just one thing I throw in. You caught both of them. Yes, there was a reason Sirius used numbers. Over and above the reasons he gave Harry (the fact he said them too quickly for Harry to actually remember them), numbers are harder to remember than words. I can only think the words your looking for are 'memory retention'. And it is much better for things in context (words) than a series of unrelated numbers. But what Sirius was trying to show Harry was not that Arabella could just get someone to tell her something, but that she could pull it out of their memory if she had to. Even if the person themselves didn't remember what the thing was. And as I pointed out to a friend who read this story, what Arabella is doing isn't an Imperious Curse. If it's anything, it's more closely related to hypnosis. Just a lot quicker and a lot stronger.

Reviews are as of 03212004.

If I missed you, you put it up after 11:30AM.

And remember,

They might have a Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter, but do they have a Ministry of Silly Walks?

Long Live Monty Python! 


	46. Chapter ThirtySeven: Someone To Watch Ov...

A/N: It's been a very interesting week.

Disclaimer: As a matter of fact, I did write it. Characters are mine, except for Dumbledore, plot is mine, story is mine. Only thing not mine is the setting and all things Harry Potter related. Other than that............its mine, all mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

****

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Someone To Watch Over Me

Katlin watched as another Deatheater threw a curse at the Auror he was fighting. The battle had gone well for them. But the tide was turning and she was certain Voldemort would call off the attack soon.

If he didn't, she would.

Almost on cue with her thoughts, a loud blast, much like a loud horn being blown, echoed across the valley they were in. Time to pull back and return to the lair.

Katlin breathed a sigh of relief. The battle had been long and bloody for both sides. But it was still payback for the Aurors. Revenge for the destruction of their lair. And they still fought with the determination of wanting to avenge friends and family members lost in the attack.

Katlin fired off a few last spells as she headed towards the disapparation point. But just as she fired off the third spell, a sudden flash of light attracted her attention. An Auror off to one side had taken advantage of her preoccupation with finding her own last minute targets and aimed a spell at her.

This was the danger she was always warned about by Voldemort about carrying on too long in a battle once you were to pull back. You get careless trying to get in a last few attacks. Katlin tried to pull her wand about in time while thinking up a counter-spell to stop the one headed at her, but her mind went suddenly blank.

She was going to be hit.

On instinct she threw her arms up in front of her, and waited for the spell to strike.

But all that registered with her senses was a bright flash of light.

Immediately bringing her arms down, Katlin barely had time to realize what had happened when a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

"Girl, you have a guardian angel." The another woman in black robes told her.

Katlin turned to see the same Deatheater she had been watching earlier pull her after the others heading for the disapparation spot. 

She looked about quickly to see where the counter-spell might have come from, but things were simply happening too quickly. Before she could think of anything else she was at the disapparation point, returning to the safety of the lair. She never saw the man in the black robes standing off to the side, his long, black hair hidden under his hood as he watched her disapparate with the others.

As soon as Orion arrived at work the next morning Charly was directing him back down the hallway to the meeting hall.

"Another general assembly." His partner grumbled as they filed in behind the others. "Twice in a month. That's too much."

As soon as Bale apparated behind the podium he started speaking. Orion could tell from his superior's voice the man was agitated, speaking in a rapid, forced tone.

"As some of you already know," Bale started, "in the battle last night Larry Taylor was seriously injured. He is currently at St. Andrews." Bale paused as a murmur ran through the assembly hall. "The doctor's presently aren't sure if he'll survive.'

A complete silence fell over the gathering.

"Three reports were received so far that the Deatheaters appeared to specifically target Taylor. Even after he was down, they continued the attack.

This was clearly an attempt by the Deatheaters to resort to torture of one of our agents."

Another murmur ran through the hall; this time a bit louder than the last one.

"Each of those responsible has been identified." Bale went on. "You are to familiarize yourselves with them before the next time we meet the Deatheaters. These three are to be marked to be taken out as quickly as possible. That should send a clear message to Voldemort and his Deatheaters on how we view this type of action."

As the group began to file out of the assembly hall, Orion sat for a few moments listening as Charly discussed the meeting with the Auror next to him. 

This whole situation with the Deatheaters was getting too civilized and clean, he thought. Currently the whole thing boiled down to simply who could get the jump on the other group. Who could learn the others plans? Who could ambush who?

What was going to happen when both sides discovered one day that they had a full-fledged war on their hands? And that the rules they had been playing by no longer applied? War wasn't tit for tat. It wasn't about getting even. You fought to win. You fought for your life. For your cause. Your beliefs.

On nudge on his arm drew Orion out of his thoughts.

"You OK?" Charly ask.

Orion gave him a nod as he got to his feet. "Just thinking."

That night Charly stood at the door of the small pub. As soon as Treaks entered Charly grabbed the man and shoved him back outside into the darkness.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Charly yelled at the man as soon as they cleared the door and several other patrons coming in.

Treaks met the tirade with a neutral expression. "Me? I'm no the one yelling my head off for the whole street to hear, Misser." 

Charly grabbed the man's collar and pulled him up until they were face to face. Nothing but anger showed in the Auror's expression. "You're people have taken to torturing Auror's. Why?"

"We've been torturing Aurors for ages, Misser. What's you're point?"

"My point is you usually aren't doing it in the middle of a battle."

Treaks gave the man a small smile. "Oh. That."

"Yes. That."

"You should be grateful, Misser."

"Grateful? That your group of magical pigs nearly tortured one of our agents to death in the middle of a battle?"

"Yes."

"And why is that?" Charly ask, pulling Treaks up closer to him. The arrogance of the man was wearing thin on him.

"Because that man could just as easily have been your partner."

Charly slowly let the man's shirt slip from his grip. "My partner?"

Treaks pulled free from the man in front of him, the smile never leaving his face. "The night the lair was destroyed, someone saw the one responsible. He gave that description to Voldemort. The man was tall and thin, with long, dark hair. Since Voldemort didn't have any better description to go by, he simply ordered the deatheaters to target any Auror that fit the description. The general idea was that they were to be killed on sight." Treaks shrugged. "The fools dragged it out instead and the Auror was rescued before they could finish the job."

Charly stared back at the man. "You're targeting Aurors?"

"Pay attention, Misser." Treaks noted with a touch of irritation. "Just ones that fit that description. Which oddly enough," he added, fixing a firm stare on the man before him, "your partner does...to a tee."

Charly was back in the man's face in a split second. "You want to talk about paying attention?" He ask. "Where have you been every time the master has said 'Black is not to be killed'?"

"And I haven't killed him."

"Yet."

"If Black does something so stupid as to draw attention to himself....say.... destroys a lair......."

"There is no proof Orion was responsible for that." Charly quickly defended his friend.

Treaks stared at the man for a moment in something close to disbelief, then quickly shifted back to his neutral expression. "Of course." He added dryly. "Just the same, if the Deatheaters have decided that they are going to kill any Auror who has long, dark hair, and your partner simply happened to fit that bill, what fault is there of mine in that? I'm not the one trying to kill the man, nor did I facilitate the circumstances that led to it."

Charly smirked at him. "And I'm sure the master will see it just that way."

"He won't have to." Treaks stated.

"Really?"

"Despite what you may think, Misser, I have no desire to oppose the master's will. Only serve it. And in that interest, I am going to do everything in my power to see that your partner is kept alive....just as the master wishes."

"And how are you planning to do that?" That smile had appeared on Treaks face again. The one Charly hated so much.

"You'll see." Treaks replied, just before he disapparated.

Katlin awoke to a feeling that left her whole body with a pleasant tingling sensation. She stretched out under the covers and tried to reclaim as much of her dream as she could. 

In it she had been making love with someone. He had been strong and handsome, gentle, and compliant with every one of her wishes. Whatever she asked of him, he did. He touched her in all the right places, in all the right ways, and at just the right times. The only bad part of the dream was she could never see the man's face clearly. But she could certainly describe every other part of him.

She gave another contented sigh as she finally roused herself out of bed. She had a meeting to get to. There was no time to lay about in bed all day and dwell on dreams.

The problem was the dream was so enticing. It practically begged her for a few more moments, promising to return if she would just come back to sleep. And the further she got away from the bed, the more insistent the pleading seemed to come.

Katlin laughed slightly as she shook her head. Just what she needed in her life. An imaginary lover. But as she stood before her wardrobe, a sudden realization flooded over her. As she looked over her clothes, she mentally compared them to her life. She had beautiful things to wear. Voldemort had made sure of that. It was sometimes part of her work. Men were rarely interested in a woman dressed in a plain, old, ordinary outfit. And so she wore what he wanted, presenting the beautiful, powerful leader of his Elite that everyone expected her to be. 

But underneath the appearance, she could not have been more different. When she was at home, alone, a plain pair of pants and a t-shirt was what she preferred. When Kristen had been alive, she was one of the few people Katlin had felt she could be herself with. The other woman had even applauded her for it, congratulating her on once and a while just being herself.

That was her life, she thought. To the world outside, everything was perfect. People envied her. But underneath, what no one ever saw, was how very dissatisfied she was with things. The only thing she enjoyed truly was her work. And now her mind had apparently conjured up this fantasy to fill one of the many voids in her life. 

Katlin shrugged as she reached into the closet and pulled out an outfit. No point in pondering things that she couldn't change. What men loved, she knew all too well, was the illusion. That was what got her missions completed. How she looked. And in part, it was even what helped her maintain her position in the Elite. How she looked determined how people looked at her. It was a fact of life. 

Just as was it a fact of life that she forever kept her one secret hidden from everyone around her except Voldemort. 

She stared into the image in the mirror as the illusion stared back at her, dressed in its beautiful cloths, covered now by a dark robe.

All just an illusion.

****

Q&A

ENEMIES

nessie: 

Shame on you, wishing such a thing on my poor character. Besides, Orion and alcohol are old friends. Man's been drinking for a very long time. The only respite his liver got was when he was with Katlin. 

And he didn't just drink for fun, he drank for a reason, which got knocked out of the story along the way, sort of. In Control, you'll recall, Orion used Bo to destroy the Deatheaters lair. But in order to do that he needed the emotional trigger for Bo to latch onto. Now, think about your day. Your week. How many times do you get so mad you could just....do someone permanent bodily injury? Now think if you really could, just by thinking about it. Just by wanting it badly enough.

Man drinks for a reason.

And playing its part in here is the fact that Orion is not Bo's host. He's only the channeler. Which makes it even worse. Bo and Orion aren't connected the way the Power is to its true host. So Bo doesn't quite understand Orion the way he would his host. Originally all he connected to with Orion were his emotions. But Orion found a way to actually talk to the boggart, which gave him a considerable edge. 

How far are we going? Well, in this story, the 'Azkaban incident' is not mentioned, mostly because Sirius is not in Azkaban at this time. However, you do get a look at how Orion feels about things once his little brother is sent to Azkaban in a story called From The Depths of My Soul, which was at one time a chapter of Enemies, until PAR sat down and looked at her timeline a little closer.

This story goes right up to Voldemort's defeat by Harry. Nothing more is mentioned about it than that.

Yes, I said Harry was 8months old. My error. I couldn't remember how old he was and I didn't feel like looking it up at the time. But that doesn't change much about my answer. So the time line is stretched by four months? No biggy. It all still works.

*Applauds* FINALLY! Someone is giving poor Charly a break! Remember that 'Aaron Richards incident', folks. Give the poor guy a chance.

Glad you liked the chapter, Dear.

In regards to Family Relations, and I'm not asking you to be happy about it. Indeed, just accept that life is sometimes very unfair. But if you hold out long enough, say..........., Fall, you'll get rewarded.

And I truly think you'll like Runaway. It's a very cute little Katlin/Harry story that should be up next.

Sailor Sol: 

I understand, Dear. One can tend to get fixated on Sirius.

A military school, huh? That's got to be loads of fun (not).

11 and -3? No wonder all the dang northerners are coming to Florida.

Throwing loops are what makes this fun for me, Dear. And there's no end of them in sight.

As for Gentle Persuasion:

*Notes. Notes. Where are my notes? Thought I answered this one before.*

Oh well, said it before, say it again,. I need a good secretary.

Anyway, if this is a repeat, just ignore it, Dear. Putting out three stories at once is NOT advised. Take it from me.

This story was incredibly fun to write. I only wish I could have found my original notes from it. (Makes note to self. Need secretary to stay organized.) ( Promptly looses note to self.)

Arabella is without a doubt very good at what she does. And a large part of how her 'talent' works is to keep the person very focused. If they veer off course too much, it breaks the link. She 'holds' them by not allowing their mind to wander to something else.

I am so glad you liked how it was delivered. It was fun to write, but very hard to get the point across as to what was going on. I am glad to hear from someone that I did a good job of it.

skahducky: 

Hmmmmmmmm. Well, Dear, your train's out of the station, but not all your passengers are on board, I'm afraid. And you do have one part of it that is almost spot on. I mean, have ya' been peeking at my notes? 

But I'm afraid for the rest? See second sentence.

And Dear, you're stuck on Deatheaters, you know that? Katlin didn't go out with a 'Deatheater', she was dating an Auror. (Bit worried about the Deatheater fetish, Dear.)

Still love the theory though.

In regards to Gentle Persuasion, I'm pleased you thought so, Dear. 

This was no charm or spell. It was the power of Arabella's will, coupled with her voice. The two working together form a very power force of manipulation...or persuasion, if you prefer. As stated, it's a type of hypnotism, only a great deal more powerful. Think of it as hypnotism backed by the power of magic.

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

As for Family Relations, Dear, did you miss the warning at the top of the last posted chapter? Or is this just wishful thinking? This story is off on hiatus, Dear, until Fall 2004. Sorry.

****

FEVER

Basilisssk: Thank you.

****

FAMILY RELATIONS

Von: 

*Pushes others (gently) aside and drags Von to the front of the line*

Come here, Dear. We need to have a talk. And I'm putting you first for several reasons. One, because we need to have a talk. Two, because I'm hoping everyone else will read this.

OK. First, you're reviews were very good. You caught a lot that others seemed to have missed, or just didn't mention.

Yes, indeed, Arabella is purposely trying to keep Harry away from Sirius. This was no mistake, folks, or just something thrown in for fun.

Now, next part. I am ardently coming to Arabella's defense here. Yes, she manipulated Harry with her 'talent'. Was it wrong? Depends on how you view the situation when attached to the statement, 'the end justifies the means'. She had very good reason for doing what she did. She needed Harry to sign the document without a lot of questions, and she didn't particularly wanting him talking about it...to ANYONE. Why? Well, that's a large part of the story.

Arabella doesn't feel she 'deserves' custody. In fact, she gave the choice of custody over to Orion. Not herself. And (all together now) 'there's a reason for that' as well.

Reading the other stories is not a overall requirement, Dear. I mean, you will understand Family Relations without it. Just some things you will definitely miss. For instance, those reading Enemies are already one up on the rest of you as to one of the reasons Orion and Sirius do not get along. And I also strongly recommend Runaway as a 'must read' for Family Relations. But Enemies will definitely be the biggest help to you in understanding things a bit better. Especially characters that will appear in Family Relations that were previously unseen in any other story to date. But if you choose not to, there's always Q&A to straighten things out for you.

And I do understand it is hard to get into a read a nearly completely OC story. And it is not everyone's cup of tea. But currently it's been 4000+ peoples cup of tea, for which I am grateful.

Fall in my neck of the woods, Dear, which is many moons away.

I need a keeper to help me 'keep', as in 'things in order'.

Essence of Magic:

OK. Back to our regularly schedule line-up of reviews. (See above.)

I am NOT ebil. I just like torturing my rea......I mean..., keeping you guys in suspense.

Check me out in Fall 2004, Dear.

Voltora: 

Curious name, Dear. I always thought so. Any story behind it?

Anyway, you are so cute. I just loved those little inserts. gave PAR a nice smile.

First off, let me say I sincerely hope that when Family Relations gets up and running, that people will go back and re-read those first three chapters again, because there's a LOT going on there that no one is seeing right now. Every comment Orion made you'll look at differently once you're a bit further into the story and you better understand what is going on. Orion is no fool. And he knows exactly what he's doing.

Now don't go and jump on Orion. REMEMBER the 'Aaron Richards' episode. Give him a chance to prove his case.

Sirius is angry, no doubt. But not for the reason you think.

Yes, indeed, Family Relations is currently running much longer than Family Life. Due to this it will probably be broken up into story arcs, of which there are three in that story. What does that mean? Not much really. It's just PAR's little loophole way of staying under the 50 chapter limit. It also helps me better organize the story. Try working on writing a 50+ chapter story where you are working, not on the chapters in order, but where ideas come to you. The first chapter of Family Relations was not where I started this story. And I haven't written it chapter by chapter either. So it can get very confusing without some sort of organization built into it. Hence - story arcs.

Enemies and Partners will give you a very good background on our boy Orion. But more so, Enemies will give you a good background on other characters that will be appearing in Family Relations, who, without any background understanding, will confuse the heck out of you. Especially Bo, Orion's boggart.

I would look into cleaning out those cobwebs, Dear.

Reviews are as of 04022004.

And remember;

Next time you think you're perfect, try walking on water.


	47. Chapter ThirtyEight: Wedding Plans

A/N: I'm running late, folks. So here's your choice. Author's Notes or story?

I thought as much.

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: It wasn't mine when I started. Still isn't mine. Situation currently stable.

****

WEDDING PLANS 

Things had been stagnant a little too long for Johnathan's liking. He had hesitated long enough with his plans, and it was long past time to set them in motion. However, his plans for the Auror would have to wait. First things first. And that meant his plans for Katlin. 

Although the plan wasn't exactly a new one. It was one he had been working on for some time. Almost from the day he joined the Deatheaters. He knew he had worked himself as far up in the Deatheaters ranks as he could. He was an Elite and just one step down from Voldemort. 

And that step was blocked by one person.

Katlin Griss.

No matter what he did, no matter how well he served, no matter how hard he tried, he knew all too well he would never usurp her position with the dark lord. So, if you can't go over your barrier, you can't go around it, and you can't go under it, Johnathan reasoned the only thing left to do was married it.

And that was exactly what he intended to do.

Months ago he had gone to Voldemort and made his request. To marry the top Elite. At first Voldemort had seemed more than a little hesitant. He had, in fact, out-rightly refused the man's request. But eventually, weighed down with Johnathan's arguments, he had agreed. 

Even Katlin had accepted the order with little protest. She had, in fact, viewed it for what it was. An order.

Once they were married, Johnathan had everything planned out. Slowly and carefully he would manipulate her under his control, and then through her, Voldemort. Eventually he would be the head of not only the Elite, but all the Deatheaters.

Johnathan smiled happily to himself as he walked down the corridor of the new lair. His plan was a good one. And it had been progressing very nicely. All before the Auror got involved in things. 

Nothing kept life interesting like a few twists in one's plans, he told himself. And that was exactly what the Auror had been. Katlin could profess before Voldemort all she wanted that the relationship was just some mission she was working on to get information from the man. But, thanks to Misser, he knew so very much better. Despite the irrationality of the situation, Katlin had fallen in love with the man and he with her. 

Well, the second part of the equation wasn't hard to understand. Katlin was a beautiful woman. There was no doubt of that. But how could she have been so stupid? An Auror!? But as Misser continued to feed him information about the situation, Johnathan began to see the benefit of it. Katlin was digging her own grave with Voldemort over the man. Taking risks she normally wouldn't, she would eventually slip up. But when she proved to be more cautious than he anticipated, he had hoped to help things along by exposing her actions for what they were before all the Elite as well as Voldemort. To totally discredit her. That would eliminate his need to end his happy bachelorhood too soon. 

But he hadn't counted on Voldemort's love for his 'daughter' blinding him as badly as it did. She had fed him a story Johnathan was sure the dark lord would see through as clearly as he did. But Voldemort had accepted it, and he had been severely punished for interfering in an Elite's mission and possibly endangering it.

Once they were married, that was the first of many marks against the woman she would pay for. How many times had he suffered humiliation and pain because of her and her interference? Why could the woman not just accept her place and stay there? Just play the part of the good, dutiful child, go on harmless missions, interrogate prisoners, and leave the rest to someone more qualified to handle things?

She was suppose to be a show piece. A tool for the Elite to use. For him to use. He was not suppose to be controlled or overshadowed by her. He shouldn't have to be taking orders from this woman. She should be taking her orders from him. He was more skilled, more qualified, and better prepared to be Voldemort's second-in-command. She got there simply by circumstances.

Johnathan sighed to himself and shook his head. Well, once he was where he needed to be, he would be in control of the Elite and the Deatheaters. A control he would use to serve the master as long as it suited him. But Voldemort had promised things too. Things that weren't coming to pass. If this other wizard made the same mistake of thinking he could be strung along forever, with no real progress being made, well, he was still in control of his own separate army. And as long as he was married to Katlin, that was a control he wouldn't lose.

But first he had to get married to her. And she certainly wasn't running to the alter. 

So perhaps she needed a little push.

Thankfully, things with the Auror had gone the way the relationship should have and the Auror was no longer a stumbling block in his plans. Misser had explained it all to him. A memory charm was perhaps a bit extreme, but as that he knew of it, he could help it along. Making sure no one questioned her about the 'mission' or any details of it. It was over. It had ended badly. No one would dare bring it up in front of her. And soon the whole thing would be forgotten. 

Johnathan stopped outside the door to Katlin's room in the new lair and paused as he steeled himself for what he was sure he was going to have to go through. All the same old arguments and run-around about why she felt he was rushing things. But it had been months now, and he didn't feel that argument would hold water much longer.

Finally he knocked on the door.

An irritated voice inside told him to come in. 

She was going to make such a wonderful wife.

"Katlin, do you have a moment?" Johnathan asked, although he wasn't particularly interested if she had one or not. They were going to have this talk.

Katlin continued to work over the parchment on the desk that stood between them without even bothering to look up at him. "Can't it wait, Johnathan?" She stated in a bored tone. "I'm busy right now."

It seemed whenever he came calling, she was always busy, be it business or social. But that too would end once they were married.

"I think this matter has waited long enough, Katlin."

Finally she looked up at him, and he was sure by the look in her eyes she knew what matter he meant. But he was ready for her arguments this time, and that fool Black had helped him gain them.

"The destruction of the lair was a devastating blow to our people, Katlin. They need something that will keep them from dwelling on the incident."

"Something?" Katlin asked slowly.

"I think the time is right for us to go forward with our wedding. The engagement period had gone on long enough. And the timing is perfect."

"For what!?" Katlin stated in an irritated manner as she got up from behind the desk. "To provide the Deatheaters with something new to gossip about?"

"To show them unity, Katlin. Their two top ranking officers marrying. It will help bring solidarity back to the ranks."

"Gossip." Katlin stated firmly, going back to her work. "That's what it will bring to the ranks."

Johnathan frowned down at her. She was still choosing to be difficult about this. Well, no matter.

"Love, you are showing less than the enthusiasm one would expect over our planned marriage."

"Johnathan!" Katlin stated, getting up to her feet again behind the desk. "The lair was destroyed. We don't know how. We don't know by who. You'll have to excuse me if I'm not out shopping for a wedding dress and bridesmaids right now!"

"And yet you should be, Love." Johnathan informed her coolly. "This marriage is just what the people need right now. And it is something Voldemort himself has sanctioned.

Katlin eyed the man with the same cool indifference. What he said was true. Voldemort himself had given the order. She was to marry Treaks. It was what the dark lord wanted.

"Fine." She stated in as expressionless a voice as she could manage.

Voldemort wanted this.

"One month." Treaks informed her. "That is when the date shall be set. I shall go and inform Voldemort myself of our plans." An insincere smile crept across his face. "I look forward to the day, my Love."

Katlin remained on her feet until the door closed behind the man. Only then did she allow herself to collapse back into the chair behind her again. 

'My Love' she huffed. The only thing about her the man loved was her power and her position. Much as everything else in her life. But Voldemort himself had told her he wanted the marriage to take place. And even though he had not so much as mentioned it in months to her, Johnathan was very keen on reminding him.

One month.

Katlin tried to focus on the positive aspects of the situation. But for the life of her, she couldn't find any. And the end result would be the same. She would be forced into a loveless marriage to a man she could hardly even stand to be around. Not that it mattered. She was sure Johnathan harbored many of the same sentiments about their impending wedding. It was simply a means to an end for him. Nothing more.

Katlin tried to focus back on her work. She had agreed. Without argument. There was very little else she could say or do at this point.

One month. The words rolled forlornly about in her mind.

What could possibly change in one month?

****

Q&A

Silverfox: 

Oops! Sorry, Dear. You came in just under the wire last week. I was just posting when I saw your review.

Ahhh, questions about Bo. I love 'em.

Actually, any writer will tell you the questions they get the most are about the characters they've written about the least. Hence...., Bo.

Your questions are far from boring, Dear. I live for questions.

So, let me try and answer a few.

OK. Bo is, as I always say, a bit hard to understand. 

Where do you draw the line between the person and the entity? You don't, because there is no 'person and entity' here. I never classified Bo as a 'person'. He is an entity. Not a person.

Bo absolutely has a sense of self. He acknowledges himself as existing. But keep in mind Bo doesn't think like we do. That's a large part of his problem here. He's not in his 'realm', and I use that word loosely. It's better to say Bo exists in our realm, but he doesn't exist in it as we do. Before 'things' happened, Bo wasn't restricted by temporal barriers, like walls and such. They just didn't exist for him. Now, not only do they exist, he's confined by them, as well as can he manipulate them, as well as other solid objects. remember the set up in the house when Johnathan tried to attack Katlin? To Bo, that was just 'fun'. Perhaps in this you can start to understand just why Bo is so dangerous. Bo knows he's powerful. How could he not? But he doesn't quite know how to yield that power in an always proper manner in the situation he's currently in. He's also trying to figure things out with a very limited data base. He only knows what's he's told.

Now, just for fun, (and a little more information for you), let's revisit a little subject people may have WAY missed.

Remember that Bo is the Power, Talon is the host, and Orion is the channeler of that power. Now, everything was going great while the power lived through its host, right? With the exception that the Power eventually drove its host insane.

Now, along comes Talon, who, watching what the Power did to his own father, decided this wasn't the way he cared to go. (And I can already hear the questions starting on that one!)

Orion told Katlin that his father put the Power into the boggart to try and stop it from continuing on in his family. And he was partly right.

Partly.

Now, before you get mad at me, let me point out two things. One: Orion could only tell Katlin what he knew to be the truth. Two: I am spilling some beans here.

Talon's whole purpose in putting the Power in the boggart wasn't just to keep it from his son's. He also was doing a bit of deductive reasoning there. The Power only lived through its host. That was all it knew. And it wanted to learn. So it enticed the host to use it so it could learn about the world it was in since it could only do so through its host when the host used it. Talon reasoned that, perhaps, if the Power had a body of its own, it could learn faster and better, without damaging the host if you found it an appropriate one. So he needed something that was human-like, not too bright, and operated almost solely on instinct. (Not much sentient going on there.) And perhaps if the Power had a body of its own, it might choose to stay there.

Talon wasn't actually out to hurt Bo, or punish him for anything. He was, in fact, trying to help (Yeah, yeah, it wasn't totally altruistic, I know.). Which explains his lack of totally hating the poor thing.

So, why was he confined to the cellar? Several reasons. First off, for the very one Orion said. Talon's first and foremost desire in all of this was to keep Bo away from his son's. Second, for the reason I've already said. Talon knew just how dangerous Bo could be. And now even more so. He didn't think it was safe to first give the Power a body of its own to manipulate, then set it loose in the world. Not until it was a bit better acclimated to its new situation.

So why did Talon react the way he did when he found his son in the cellar? For the exact reason Orion said. Everything Talon had tried to do was, in his eyes, destroyed. And whatever trust he had of Bo, vanished that day. He felt the entity had tricked his son, and lied to him. That all the while it had been in the cellar, it had solely been planning its escape. And it wasn't above using any means that presented itself. Even a young, impressionable, defenseless child.

This forced a huge rift between Talon and Bo, and Talon was not keen on listening to reason...at the time.

Has he mellowed on poor Bo? A bit. But he was burned, and he doesn't want to be again. But he does understand that perhaps Bo didn't do what he did out of pure maliciousness, but because he truly didn't understand the danger. But the man is cautious.

Moving on, what separates Bo from a person? Not much. But look at it this way, would you call a spirit a person? If so, we're in for a long night in philosophy class, Dear, because I wouldn't. And before you even go there, 'no, Bo is not a spirit'.

No, Dear. See above. Bo - Power. Talon - Host. Orion - Channeler.

Talon is an interesting character to be sure. But currently he's just where I want him. In the background. To bring a character like him into a story that already has a main character would be to completely re-route the story over to him. And if you think the father is interesting, wait till you meet Mum. I mean, there's a father, right? So there has to be a mother there somewhere.

Talon has very little....almost nothing at all....to do with the relationship between Sirius and his older brother. Those issues are all theirs alone.

Oh, yes! The wizard in the north knows all about Bo. And for good reason. And the good reason is the good reason to read Family Relations, which is where things tie more together. Keep in mind that Family Relations is the middle segment of a story arc. So a lot is going to happen in that story. (Not a tease! Not a tease!)

The wizard in the north spends his nights worrying that the Power might be able to track him down. You bet. The last thing he wants is to be confronted by Bo.

The Ministry and the Deatheaters know nothing at all about Bo.

Ummmmmm......, you kind of have things a bit backwards here. Does Charly know about Bo? How could he not? Bo is the whole reason Charly can do magic in the first place. And don't get me wrong there. Charly does not channel his magic off of Bo in any way, shape, or form. He channels it off of Orion. There is a connection there. Just not a direct one. But Bo came up with the spell that Orion used to allow Charly to do magic. Also, Charly has Orion's wand. (Which begs another question I've often wondered about why no one ever thought to ask. If Charly has Orion's wand, who's wand does Orion use? Don't think I've ever mentioned that before. And it is important to the story. It is a 'P.L.O.T. D.E.V.I.C.E.'.) Anyway, Charly uses Orion's wand, which makes him privy to a lot more than you think as to what goes on in his partner's life. For instance, does Charly know for sure that it was Orion that destroyed the Deatheaters lair? He'd swear to it on anything you like. The point is how he knows. Now, even though Charly knows about Bo, he didn't know everything. And a lot of what he does know he knows because the wizard in the north told him. So, was that information accurate? That remains to be seen.

That should give you something to think on.

As for Family Relations, keep in mind there is a tie in between the two stories. A lot of what you learn in Enemies will tie into Family Relations.

Does Orion want to use Harry as a new host for the Power? Ohhhhh! Dear, that would be very bad of him. Even Orion wouldn't do something like that. Even if he could. By the parameters of the original spell, the Power can only be passed on to members of the family, or those considered part of the family. Orion stopped the adoption before it happened. So Harry is not considered part of the family yet. (Something else for you to think about, Dear.)

skahducky: 

Well, if you're sure, Dear. But you sure seem to have been reading over my shoulder.

Where are my notes. Half computer, half head.

Now............., how can I tell you what part is right? That would negate my bothering with the story at all. But man, you are absolutely spot on with it. Nearly word for word.

You are the ONLY person who asked that. (*) Have a gold star, Dear. What is dear Katlin's secret? Which figures prominently into a lot of what she does in her life. Who knows the secret? Just who I said. Two people. Katlin and Voldemort. Want something to think on, look at that. What would only those two people be privy to? Need more? Look at what was going on then, and look at Katlin now. And I am not talking psychological here. That's all you're getting.

I know Fall 2004 seems a long way away, Dear. But when you're the one working on the story, it seems a lot closer for some reason. Sorry, no upping the release date.

Sailor Sol: 

I loved your comment, Dear. 'He should dye his hair or something.' All I could think while reading that was 'or something'. You'll see what I mean in a few more chapters.

Will Katlin remember soon? Hmmmm....., how far to go with this? Dear, what do you think the dreams are? (Man, I hope no one else is reading this.)

Military school is fun, Dear? That's a new one on me. But having never been in the military, what do I know? Just doesn't sound like much fun to me.

Three stories and school would be a challenge.

Reviews are as of 04112004 at 3:00PM, or somewhere around there.

And remember: Easter......Passover. Whatever you call it, a wonderful thing happened today. 


	48. Chapter ThirtyNine: Meeting Again For Th...

A/N: Once again, folks, busy week. Tonight, (Saturday) I have to sing a wedding, which I was asked to sing at some nine months ago. Nine months. You know what scares me about that? A lot can happen in nine months. Especially to you. So for nine months I fretted and worried, mostly because I am prone to sore throats which can destroy my voice for weeks at a time. 

Well, for nine months, I could have kicked a horse's butt for health. Good old Dutch-Irish-German stock came through for me with flying colors.

Until three days before the wedding.

Nine months! Nothin'!

Three days before the wedding, I wake up with a sore throat. Which is fighting me as hard as I am fighting it to become a full blown cold. But I did all right at rehearsal last night, so, God willing, the wedding will go well.

Poor PAR.

And folks, in light of Silverfox bringing this up, I'd like to state two things here, because dang it, she's stepped in something and isn't even aware of it and I have to clear it up. 

One: Family Relations is already outlined. I have the story laid out, I just have to fill in a few holes at this point. What does that mean? Suggestions, theories, ideas....keep 'em coming, 'cause ya' know I love 'em. But they in no way alter the story. Family Relations is part of a story arc, and I can't change it now even if I wanted to. It's too interlaced with other stories and everything has to fit into the mold I've already formed to make this whole thing work. In other words, some of you, like Silverfox, come very close to what this whole thing is about, but Dears, I'm not stealing story ideas from you even though it may seem like it sometimes when you suggest something and something vaguely related turns up in my stories. You are, like Silverfox, just a really good guesser.

Two: If you're wondering what Silverfox stepped in, she suggested that, in Family Relations, the reason Orion took Harry was to make him the new host or a new channeler for the Power. Nope. Sorry. Not the reason. And if you're still trying to figure out the reason Orion took Harry in the first place, I will say, though a really good guess, it is about as far from being right as you can get. But Harry does figure into that part of the story line later. Watch for Chapter Seven in Family Relations and what goes on there. It's not just random fun. 

Well, that's all for now. On with the story.

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: The plot....is mine. The characters who are not Harry Potter related...are mine. The setting, and all things Harry Potter related....are not mine. They are the property of JK 'Oh! Look, I made the Billionaires list. Isn't that cute?' Rowling and her

'You go, girl!' Publishers.

****

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: MEETING AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME

Battles.

That was what his life seemed to boil down to these days. 

Orion carefully surveyed the area around him, firing off a spell at a Deatheater as they attempted to run from one tree to the next.

It seemed lately that a whole week couldn't go by without the Deatheaters getting into something. 

Usually something the Ministry didn't like.

And it was more than keeping him on his toes. 

He watched as Charly pursued a Deatheater across the field. The man fired a spell back at his partner even as he ran. Charly dodged it and returned fire, taking the man down with one hit.

If nothing else good had come out of his separation from Katlin, it had definitely improved Charly's mood, as well as eased the tension between Orion and his long time friend for the time being. For which he was grateful. 

Orion headed back to toward the open field where the fighting was still the heaviest. He hadn't seen Katlin at all in this battle, or for the several he had been in before this one. Another thing for which he was grateful. Possibly Voldemort had pulled her back, realizing open battles were not her forte and she was better kept in the background to do what she did best. Interrogate.

But a spell suddenly fired off to his side made him realize he had thought too quickly. The voice behind the spell was one he easily recognized.

Dropping for cover, Orion hurriedly looked for where the voice had come from. If she was trying to attack him, he could likely handle that with little trouble. The plan from before had worked. Stun her and leave her somewhere safe from the battle but where the Deatheaters were sure to find her.

But to his alarm he realized the spell hadn't been fired at him at all as it hit a tree several yards away and exploded in a shower of sparks. 

That meant she was locked in a fight with another Auror.

Orion quickly got to his feet and pulled behind a tree himself. Peering about the side of it he swiftly scanned the area to try and locate where she was as well as her target. He found the other Auror first. A seasoned veteran in the Department who wasn't likely to be keen on losing his prey regardless of Bale's orders of several weeks ago that the Deatheater Katlin Griss was no longer to be targeted during battles by any Auror.

After all, accidents happened. The Auror could claim he couldn't see her face, or that she had attacked him and he had simply returned fire on instinct, or it had just been an unfortunate incident. 

Orion was sure most of the Aurors in the Department had taken Bale's order with a grain of salt. Or for many of them, with a whole tablespoon full of salt. But he was even more sure there were a few that would out-rightly disregard it, choosing rather to weather their superior's tirade than letting such a prize hit go unclaimed. And so most of his time in battles had been spent attempting to keep his own skin safe while guarding her's as well.

Orion watched as the smaller battle continued. He wouldn't interfere unless it was necessary. And currently Katlin was holding her own. But the Auror was an old, seasoned fighter with senses like a bloodhound. Once he got a taste for a kill, he wouldn't back off.

Katlin couldn't have had a worse opponent.

But in her favor, she had lasted far longer than any other Deatheater would likely have faired against the man. And Orion was starting to feel that she stood a good chance of escape by simple evasion techniques.

But just as she attempted to move her position, the Auror caught sight of her and fired off a spell.

Orion was already moving as soon as he saw the spell fired and realized what it was. If the man had used a standard spell, there would have been no need for him to intervene. Katlin was keenly aware of the spell fired at her and had already brought her wand up to defend herself from it.

But the man had used a fire spell. And the streak of light approaching her was little more than a growing ball of fire.

Orion knew at the sight of fire, Katlin froze. The first time they had sat in front of a fire together she had been noticeably uncomfortable, although she wouldn't tell him why. It wasn't until he learned of her past that he understood her aversion to anything having to do with fire. Candles seemed to be the only thing she could tolerate on a moment's notice. Anything else she had to acclimate herself to slowly. Once she was used to it, she was able to tolerate it. But even then, as with the fire they had once sat before, it was with noticeable discomfort. 

But when confronted suddenly with fire, everything she knew deserted her and she simply couldn't move. It was a small wonder, Orion had thought, that she never let anyone know about her past. For her, it was simply a tool they could use against her.

A tool the other Auror had inadvertently stumbled on to.

Knowing no matter how fast he was, he was simply too far away to reach her in time, Orion fired off a spell of his own to deflect the spell before it hit her. But he knew it was going to be close. The spell was traveling like it had a will of its own, eager to reach it's intended victim.

The two spells collided in an explosion of light. One that was just feet in front of Katlin. But even Orion could see he hadn't hit the spell correctly. It had intersected it, cutting it in two. Half of the spell erupted into sparks when his own had hit it. The other half of it continued on with unrelenting speed towards its target.

Orion made one last desperate leap at the body before him. He felt himself connect with it and they both hit the ground as blinding light filled the area.

Holding on tightly to the body under him, Orion spoke a quick spell and they both disapparated. 

From the instant she saw the Auror off to her right firing the spell at her, everything happened so fast, Katlin hardly had time to even think. She saw a flash of light, and felt the blast of heat, and in the next instant someone knock her to the ground from behind. 

In almost the same instant she hit the ground, she felt the disorienting grip of an apparation spell.

The next thing she knew she was laying on a hard surface. The weight of the body against her back was pulling itself off of her. She opened her eyes to see where she was. She had to get to cover. She had to protect herself until she could sort things out. But all that greeted her was a blurred, grayish world.

Struggling to her feet, Katlin still kept to her plan. She needed to cover as many fronts as possible. But mostly hide her disability from her attacker.

Running head on, Katlin kept one arm out in front of her as the other reached for her wand. As soon as she connected with a solid surface she put her back to it as she turned to face her attacker. A small sound, like a whispered voice, caught her attention. It sounded very much like someone speaking a spell and she quickly turned to where she thought the sound came from. If someone was trying to attack her with another spell, she had to defend herself.

"Stay where you are!" She stated in a firm, well-controlled voice. "If you move I'll kill you!"

"Hardly proper thanks for someone who just saved your life I would think." A soft, gentle voice answered her.

Katlin quickly turned to the direction of the voice. A tall, gray shape came into view. It was about the size of a person, so Katlin fervently hoped she was looking at the right thing.

"Where am I!" She demanded, wrestling all the while to keep her fear under control.

"Safe." Came the same, gentle toned answer.

"Safe where?!" Katlin demand, pointing her wand fiercely at the shape before her.

"Oh, put that thing down, woman." The voice stated with a half-serious harshness. "You're going to hurt yourself with it."

Katlin kept the wand pointed at the shape before her. "I'll put it down when you've answered my questions."

Something just off to the right of where she had her wand pointed moved slightly.

"Then you would do well to point it at your target at least. Or were you planning on getting these answers you seem so interested in by threatening one of my staircase posts?"

Katlin immediately shifted the point of her wand at the shape that had moved. She couldn't think of anything at the moment to say. The person knew of her disability now. And it was one severe enough to put at her a dangerous disadvantage.

"Your eyes were injured from the spell." The voice went on. "My guess would be that you can see very little. If at all."

"I can see enough to defend myself." Katlin stated as firmly as she could, hoping the person before her didn't hear the fear creeping into her voice as clearly as she did.

"You're also burned."  
Katlin's self-assured demeanor nearly collapsed at the word.

"Burned!?" All the fear she tried to keep out of her voice suddenly seized hold of it in that one word.

The voice gave a soft laugh. "Perhaps 'singed' is a better word."

An anxious hand was already feeling over her face. "How badly? How badly am I burned?"

"It's hardly noticeable, really. Except for your eyes." The voice promised her.

"My eyes?" For a brief moment Katlin had forgotten her most pressing problem. "What has happened to my sight? Will it stay like this?"

"That depends on how much of the spell you caught. And it's very hard to determine how bad it is standing across the room from you. If you'll let me, I can take a closer look."

Katlin immediately brought her wand back up. "Who are you?!" She demanded. "Are you a doctor?"

Orion had expected to have to lie his way around being an Auror. But much to his surprise, that wasn't the question she asked, so covering it would be that much easier. Especially since she already had an expectation set in her own mind.

"Yes, I am."

But Katlin kept her wand up. "And you just happened to be standing in that field?"

"Actually, I just arrived." Orion told her. "Sometimes the ministry calls medi-wizards in from outside their ranks to help out when needed."

"You knocked me to the ground." Katlin accused him. "You stopped the spell from hitting me. Why?"

Orion gave her a small laugh. "Well, I'd like to be thought of as the knight in shining armor by such a beautiful woman. But the truth of the matter is I apparated in nearly on top of you. I'm afraid what knocked you to the ground was me stumbling into you. Whatever transpired before that I'm unaware of."

"Why did you bring me......," Katlin looked about quickly. "Where are we?"

"You're at my house." Orion explained casually. "The reason you're here is I had no idea how badly you might have been hurt. I needed a safe place to examine you."

"Why not apparate me to a hospital then?" She accused, keeping the wand pointed at him.

"Because that might have proven a bit.........unwise." He offered.

"Unwise."

"You're a Deatheater. At a standard hospital you would have faired no better than in a ministry medical unit."

Katlin considered the information. "Why are you helping me at all? As you said, I'm a Deatheater."

"And I'm no Auror." Orion fired back with as much conviction as he could put into the statement. "I get called in to help. I try to leave politics behind and just help the injured."

"And afterwards?"

"Why don't we worry about 'afterwards' afterwards?" Orion replied. "Right now, I'm more concerned about your eyes. Which, left without treatment too long, could cost you your sight."

Katlin continued to consider what he was telling her as she kept her wand pointed at him.

"Please," He said in a soft, gentle tone, "I would rather not see you permanently blinded. You can keep your wand if you like. But I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to help." 

Katlin continued to keep her wand pointed at the shape in front of her, trying desperately to decide what action to take. 

"Look," Orion tried again, "really, all I want to do is help. But the choice is entirely up to you. If you want instead, I'll drop the wards around the house and you can go anywhere else you want to go. You can go back to your lair if you want. But I doubt they'll be able to help you properly in time to save your sight."

Katlin paused for a few more moments, then slowly lowered her wand. 

"You make one wrong move...." She warned him.

"....and I'm spell fodder. I get the drift." Orion replied. He didn't make any sudden move in approaching her, but made sure she was comfortable with every step. Finally he reached up and touched the side of her face, turning her eyes towards him.

"Can you see anything at all?" He asked. "And don't lie about it to protect yourself. It's important I know just how bad this is."

Katlin blinked a few times. "I can see....shapes." She admitted slowly, the grip on her wand never loosening. "Mostly everything is just gray shadows."

"Can you tell me what I look like?"

Katlin studied the figure before her through squinted eyes. "You're tall." She replied coolly, still unsure of how much of her disability she should let the man know about.

"So are the posts at the bottom of the stairs." Came the answer out of the haze of her sight. "Which you'll recall you started this conversation by threatening for information. I need specifics. What can you see of my appearance?"

Katlin squinted harder. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to help much.

"You have dark hair." She said finally.

"Long or short?"

Katlin squinted again. She was being backed into a corner on this. But all she could honestly make out was the man's hair, which was black. But as she continued to squint at the form before her, a thought was slowly working its way forward in her mind. One she couldn't quite explain. Unexpectedly, she reached out, her hand closing quickly about the back of the man's neck. But when her senses told her she had come up empty in her quest, she pulled back slightly, a look a slight disappointment on her face. 

"It's....short." She stated finally. 

"You don't like short hair?"

Katlin looked up at him.

"It's just that you sounded so disappointed that my hair is short."

Katlin shrugged slightly. "I just.....thought it might be long, that was all."

The comment un-nerved him slightly, even as he congratulated himself for having the sense to cast the spell as soon as they got the house that took a good two feet off his hair. Best to leave that line of questioning and distract her onto something else.

"That's very good." He replied in as casual a voice as he could manage. "What else? What about my face?"

Katlin shook her head. She was falling to her old problem. Every man she saw she managed to form into the man in her dreams, and she saw what she wanted to see. For all she knew the fact the man had dark hair was the only trait he shared with her dream. She was letting her imagination run away with her. That man was just a dream. She had to keep her mind focused on the here and now.

"Nothing else." She replied. "I can't see your face clearly at all."

"Do you remember feeling any heat?" He asked her. "Like standing too close to a fire?"

Katlin paused, thinking back to the last thing she remembered. The memory of the feeling just before the man apparated her away from the battle was all to frighteningly clear to her. She remembered feeling a similar pain when she blew open the door to the cellar of her parent's home. Of how the blast from the heat of the fire had come in a wall of white light down the stairs at her, leaving her in more pain than she ever remembered before.

"I remember the heat." Was all she answered in a very hollow sounding voice. 

"And how are you feeling?" The man asked, stepping back from her.

"Feeling?"

"You caught a small part of the spell that was fired at you. Even a small amount can take a lot out of you. Had you caught the whole thing, you'd be dead. My guess would be you're feeling less than up to snuff right now."

Until that moment, Katlin hadn't realized that she was relying a great deal on the wall behind her for support.

"I'm fine." She replied. As if to emphasize her point, she pulled away from the wall.

And nearly collapsed.

Two strong arms quickly caught her and helped her back up.

"Yes, I can see that." He stated, backing away from her for her own comfort as well as allowing her to find her balance again as she leaned against the wall. "Perhaps you'd feel better if you sat down?" Orion offered, holding his hand out to her.

Katlin only stared at the blur of the offered hand, pulling back slightly from it.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Orion said softly. "I promise."

Katlin slowly shifted her eyes to him. A look that could always melt his heart no matter the situation. Some things simply never changed.

"Do you believe me?"

Katlin turned again to the offered hand. Deep inside of herself, for some unexplained reason, she did trust the man standing before her. Maybe it was because in her mind, when she looked at the formless shape before her, she allowed her mind to transform it into her dream. Something to make her feel a little less afraid. 

And it seemed to work as slowly she reached out and laid her hand in his, nodding slightly.

Orion smiled down at her as he carefully closed his hand over her's. "Good. You need rest. Even catching a small part of that spell likely took a great deal out of you, am I right?"

Katlin slowly tested her feet, moving more cautiously this time to a free standing position as she nodded again. 

"My....my people.....will be worried...where I am." Katlin barely managed the whole sentence as the room began wavering slightly.

Orion felt her weight shift as she fought for her balance. "If you want," he offered in a forced voice, "You can return to your lair if you want, or I can send you there." More than anything he wanted to simply keep her there. To keep her with him where he knew she was safe and being taken care of.

"You...would send me back?" The weak voice asked.

"If that is what you want."

Katlin didn't answer right away. Instead she gave herself time to think by trying instead to take a step forward. But as soon as she tried to move her body with the step, she stumbled, nearly collapsing again.

Two strong arms wrapped themselves tighter about her as Orion caught her, supporting her weight as her legs gave out entirely under her.

"But I would seriously rethink that." He offered, allowing her to regain her footing while he held her.

Katlin held onto him for dear life as she tried to get her legs to support her weight. "I....I think I need to sit down." she said.

"Well, the front foyer of my home is hardly where you need to be." Orion stated. "Let's at least get you somewhere comfortable to sit down."

Katlin felt the two arms supporting her suddenly shift as they lifted her from the floor. Sighing to herself, she resigned to allow herself to be carried out of the foyer and down a side hallway, and finally into a small side room.

A small fire in the fireplace illuminated the room in a soft glow. Set before the cheerful fire was a large, comfortable looking plush, red sofa, which Orion directed himself over to.

Katlin had expected him to set her down on her feet, and shifted her weight in anticipation of his movements. But having planned instead to settle her on the sofa, the unexpected shift of the body in his arms threw Orion off balance and the end result was a less than graceful landing.

Katlin found herself all but dropped bodily onto the sofa while the man holding her nearly collapsed on top of her.

When she opened her eyes, Katlin found herself staring up into a blurred face. But that close she could make out more of the features. Ones that were just that much closer to the face in her dream as she concentrated on remembering it. But in an instant it was wiped from her mind, along with any other thought, as a pair of lips brushed her's. A tantalizing invitation to so much more.

Surprisingly she felt her body relax, responding to the tender touch of his hands as they wrapped themselves about her. She could feel the pressure of his lips increasing as they met with no resistance on her part, his tongue eagerly playing over them. Willingly she parted her lips in mute invitation.

Somewhere in the back of her mind a thought fought for recognition. This was insane. She was responding to a dream. He wasn't real. She hardly even knew the man she was kissing.

But he had saved her life. That was one thing she couldn't deny or explain away. She'd be dead right now if he hadn't interceded for her. Laying on a scorched piece of ground in the cold night instead of laying on a soft cushion in his warm embrace. And he hadn't turned her over to the Ministry. So something of his impartiality to the battle between the Deatheaters and the Ministry must be the truth.

And it wasn't gratitude that held her there. It was more.......curiosity. Why did every touch feel so familiar? Why could she practically predict every move? But as she tried to sort things out in her mind, rational thought finally failed her completely as the man slipped his hands under her robes, seeking out more intimate caresses.

His lips brushed against her ear, gently taking the lobe in his teeth as he nipped at it.

"Do you really need to leave?" He whispered in her ear.

Katlin barely even heard the words, her mind by now a foggy haze of contentment as her body relaxed into the cushions beneath her. Even the light burning against her skin that she had taken from the spell fell secondary to the feelings the man was stroking and manipulating from her body. Eager hands and fingers were rapidly finding new, previously undiscovered places under her robe as they worked to open them to equally eager lips. Nearly every touch was as close as she could remember to it being in her dream. 

What was the harm in doing something a little selfish? In the morning she would leave and that would be that. Simple. Uncomplicated. 

The answer escaped her lips on the breath of a soft, contented sigh as those well-practiced fingers found another place to tease and stoke to arousal. "No." 

It had been ages since anyone had ever made her feel anything even remotely close to what sensations the man was pulling from her body. He seemed to know exactly where she was most sensitive, and precisely how to touch her there. Every brush of his fingers and lips send a wonderful flare of excitement through her.

"Do you at least have a name?" Katlin managed to get out as she fought to keep one solid thought going from beginning to end that didn't focus itself totally on the sensations this man was bringing to life under his lips and hands.

Orion pulled back a little with a slight sigh. "I'm not really into names at the moment." He replied as his lips brushed against her's. 

That was a subject he definitely needed to distract her from. Anything at all brought into the current circumstances from the past he had no idea how it might affect things. Or what even remote memory it might spark in her. Best to keep things vague, he told himself. If he played it hard enough, she would accept whatever conditions he laid out. And that one didn't seem to be high on her list at the moment either as she willingly allowed his hands to quickly distract the idea from her mind.

All in all the evening was shaping up to be a great deal more enjoyable than he had anticipated.

The next morning Orion woke to the sun in his eyes. Giving a soft curse he rolled over in the bed, nearly rolling over the body next to him.

Stars above! What had he done last night? And who with?

He sat up and quickly ran his hands through his hair. But at the nap of his neck he stopped abruptly. 

So did his hair.

Merlin's Beard! How drunk had he been last night?! He let some fool cut off his hair?!

He quickly tried to sort things out. He had cut his hair, then brought home a complete stranger and ended up in bed with them. What other stupid thing had he managed to do last night? 

But as the body next to him shifted slightly, the events of the night before slowly began to become clearer, coming back with a small smile.

'Oh, this hadn't been stupid at all.' He happily told himself as he ran his hand gently over the slim, white arm laying on top of a perfectly curved hip.

Pulling up against the woman next to him, Orion wrapped her in his arms, holding her tightly against him. Not only because just being that close to her was high on his list of his favorite places to be at 7 in the morning, but it also gave him complete control over any movement she might make. He had to assess the condition of her eyes before she turned over.

"'Morning." He murmured in her ear.

The body stretched out in his hold, then cuddled back up against him.

"Hmmmmmm." Was all he got in reply.

"Time to get up." He whispered over her shoulder.

The body scrunched down under the covers. "Ummmmm...unh huh."

Orion smiled slightly. Well, Katlin never was much of a morning person.

"Come on." He nudged her. "Time for your check up."

The covers pulled back slightly. "What check up?" She mumbled.

"Open your eyes and I'll tell you."

Orion watched from the side of her face the long lashed lids slowly open with a great deal of caution against the assault of the morning sun.

"Now," he asked, lightly kissing her neck, "what do you see? And tell me the truth. It's important."

He watched Katlin's eyes scan about the area immediately around her. But she didn't say anything.

"Well?"

"It's.......still gray." She said in a barely audible voice. "I still can't see."

"That's to be expected." He assured her. "Don't let it worry you. What I want to know is, is it any brighter at all?"

He watched her scan the area within her immediate vision again.

"It's........a little brighter. But not much."

Orion rolled her over on her back. "All right then. What about me?"

Two long, slender arms wrapped themselves about his neck with a smile that nearly caused him to melt in her embrace.

"Ohhhhhh, you're very good." She purred.

Orion lightly kissed the tip of her nose. "I'm thrilled." He replied over a small giggle beneath him. "But what can you see?"

Katlin squinted up at him. "You have short, dark hair." She answered.

"And you're not getting by with that this time."

Katlin frowned at him. "I added that it was dark.' she protested. 

"Wonderful. But you told me that yesterday. What else?"

Katlin looked closer. "You're young. About thirty-five. You haven't shaved yet, and you're eyes.....are blue." She said, though she didn't sound entirely sure of the last part.

Orion pulled back slightly. That was more than he expected. Her eyesight was coming back far quicker than he estimated. She was up to seeing colors again. Another few hours and her full sight would likely be back.

"You're doing very well." He stated. "Another half day or so and your sight should be fully recovered."

Katlin pulled up and scooted over to the edge of the bed. "That would be good." she replied, feeling about for her clothes at the foot of the bed. "I have work to get back to."

"Back to the Deatheaters?" He questioned.

Katlin turned back to him briefly, then went back to getting dressed. "If you must know, yes."

"Why are you even with them?" He asked. "What do they give you that you can't find anywhere else in this world?"

Katlin turned back to him, pulling her shirt down over her trim, well-shaped torso. "Security." She replied.

Orion pulled over in the bed and sat down in front of her. "You don't think anyone else can give you that security you crave so much?"

"Like who?" she asked with a small smile. "You, for instance?"

Orion shrugged. "I seem to do very well for myself."

Katlin leaned down and pecked him on the nose. "It was very nice....last night." She told him with a small smile that quickly faded. "But that's all it was. Last night."

Orion looked up at her as an idea that had been playing about in his mind took a firmer hold under that welcoming smile. "But it doesn't have to be." He could think of something. A small disguising spell until he worked out a better solution. This time he would make it work. He wouldn't mess up again. He knew the pitfalls. He could avoid them this time.

Katlin pulled back from him. "Yes it does." She stated a bit firmer. "You fall in love too quickly. I'm grateful for what you did for me. But I'm sorry if you saw last night as anything more than that."

"Gratitude?" Orion asked in disbelief.

Katlin gathered her robes and stood back in front of him. "You said you would allow me to go home." She stated almost formally. "And that is where I want to go."

"You'll need someone to check on you later." He offered hopefully.

"I can see to myself." Came the nearly cold reply.

Orion sighed quietly to himself. 'Get a grip, Black.' He admonished himself. 'It was a stupid idea and you know it.'

"All right." He agreed in a discouraged voice. Pulling out his wand he quickly undid the wards about the house. "You're free to leave whenever you want. Unless you'd like some breakfast first." He added as a last minute attempt.

Katlin gave him a solid stare, then quickly disappeared from the room.

Orion sighed to himself as he sat for a few moments staring at the space she had last stood. But finally, with another disheartened sigh he spoke a few words, putting an end to the spell he had cast the night before, just before Katlin turned to face him for the first time, reacquainting him with his long, black strands, which he quickly gathered in his hands.

"And I missed you too." He stated as he gave them an affectionate peck.

It wasn't gratitude. 

It was everything getting caught up in the moment. 

It was curiosity. 

It was that blasted dream. 

It was somewhere to be and something to do. 

It was allowing herself a little selfish act just for her. 

It was a way to guarantee for herself she would get out of the situation alive. The man's attraction to her had been genuine enough. She could feel it in him. Just like in all the others. And just like in all the others, she saw no point in not using that advantage

And it hadn't been an unpleasant encounter by any means. The man had enjoyed himself, if his reactions had been any gage of things. 

And she had gotten to engage in a little self-indulgence herself. From what she had been able to see of him, the man fit the image of her dream almost perfectly, with the exception his hair had been short. Past that, he was about the right age and build. The rest she just filled in in her own mind when she looked at the grayed out blur of a face before her.

And the night had been.........she simply couldn't come up with a word for it that didn't make her sound like a giggling school girl. But the man had done everything to perfection. Every lead he followed as though he could anticipate every one of her needs. As though without a word from her he knew every desire. Her every wish. 

Katlin walked about her apartment in a seemingly never ending circle as she came up with a new reason for ever completed round for why she had stayed with the man the night before.

It had been the perfect circumstances. The dream was driving her to distraction. She needed a way to work it out of her system. The man had been as close to her dream as anyone could likely be. 

So what was wrong with a little selfish indulgence?

He certainly hadn't complained. Gotten a little clingy, maybe. But most of them did.

With every trip around her small livingroom, her sight was getting clearer. Just as the man had promised it would. 

Maybe she should have let him check.

No. She ended it the way she always did. The way it was best. Quick and clean.

So why did this feel so.....wrong?

A sharp knock on her door pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Who is it?" She snapped at the door. 

"Katlin? It's Johnathan. Open the door."

Katlin gritted her teeth in irritation. What was he doing here? He never came to her apartment. 

But just the same she dutifully went to the door and opened it to him.

A barely distinguishable worried expression met her still blurred vision.

"Katlin, where have you been?" He asked in what could almost have been mistaken for a concerned tone. "You didn't return to the lair last night."

Katlin turned and walked back into the apartment. Anything to give her a few precious moments to think.

"I was injured." She explained. "I needed to get away from the battle."

"Where did you go?" Came the next question, sounding a great deal more like an accusation and a lot less like concern.

Katlin turned back to the man before her. She sensed the trap so easily Johnathan might as well have spoken it out loud. He had come here once already and checked. Checked every place she might have gone.

The man was getting far too possessive.

"I went to see a friend." Katlin stated with as much truth in the lie as she could manage on short notice.

"A friend?" Came the disbelieving reply.

"A doctor." Katlin added. That was much easier. The man had said he was a doctor, so there was no lie there to cover.

"A friend who's a doctor?"

"I said I was injured, Johnathan." Katlin defend sternly. "My eyes were damaged from a barely missed spell. I still can hardly see."

A rough hand grabbed her under the chin and directed her face towards him.

Katlin slapped the hand away in irritation.

"How dare you!" She stated in indignation. "How dare you question what I say?"

Enough of her sight had returned that she could just make out the forced smile before her.

"It isn't questioning you, Love." Came the soft, silk-smooth voice. "I'm concerned. We all were. You disappeared. No one knew where you were. If you were all right."

"Am I known for not being able to take care of myself?" Katlin snapped back.

"Of course not, Love."

Katlin sharply turned her back on him. "And you've seen that I'm fine." She stated. "So you can now leave."

"Of course." Johnathan answered. "But I would like to thank the man who took such good care of you. What is his name?"

Katlin spun back around to face him. "Get out!" She shouted at him. "Just.....get out!"

Johnathan gave her a stunned look. But before he could ask anything further, found himself shoved out the door and had it slammed in his face.

Inside the small apartment Katlin stood leaning against the door, her back bracing it closed.

Why had she gotten so angry? Why had she let him get to her like that? Why hadn't she just come up with some name? Why had she felt the need so strongly to protect the man from Johnathan? She didn't even know him.

She didn't even know his name.

Last night she hadn't even cared.

Slowly she sank down to the floor, staring blindly ahead of her. Why did this feel so confusing? Why did it feel so right when she knew all too well it was wrong.

'Forget him.' A tiny voice stated. 'That's what's best here. Just forget him. Just like the others.'

Katlin sighed as she laid her head against her arms. 

The voice was right. She should just chalk it up to a pleasant experience and get on with things. 

After all, she was going to be married in little under a month.

****

Q&A

****

ENEMIES

nessie: 

Treaks has actually been planning on marrying Katlin for some time, Dear. If you look back in the story, Orion had ask Katlin to marry him, and she refused. Now why do you think that was? Possibly because at the time she was already engaged?

She may be dreaming about Orion, Dear, but she has no idea this man actually exists. It was pure luck Treaks kept her from seeing his face in the restaurant. And when he let her go the first time, helping her to escape, she wasn't having the dreams yet, and she didn't commit the man's face to memory. (No. Don't ask me why. I have no idea.)

Yes, Dear, I still give out gold stars. I just don't give them out as frequently as I use to. Something has to really impress me to give a gold star for it.

skahducky:

Ahhhhh....., no.

No, I won't be mean and just leave it there.

The problem you have with this is you're assuming that Voldemort is using Katlin's secret against her. He's not. It is, in fact, a benefit to her. And Voldemort doesn't keep the secret to hurt her either. This also, is a benefit to her.

You're right in that Katlin doesn't remember telling Orion the story of her childhood or how she came to be with Voldemort. But the fact she doesn't remember has nothing to do with the secret.

By the way, you're also right in that the only two people who know that story, to Katlin's memory, are she and Voldemort, and that does have a lot to do with her secret. But the third person who knows the story, that being Orion, doesn't know the secret because Katlin left that part out of her story.

Katlin isn't worried about Orion because he's an Auror, Dear. Her enemy. She has no idea who the person who saved her the first time was. And if you want to see PAR squirm her way out of that one, go read nessie's answer above. That will answer the first time he saved her. The second time she did indeed never see who was responsible.

True, Auror's do not randomly help Deatheaters escape. Especially the likes of her. Is she looking into it? Not currently. Will she? *Sighs* Well, I hadn't planned it. And I do think some mention of the reason is made latter. But it is brief, so you'd have to look for it. It's not like I built a chapter around the answer.

Silverfox:

First off, in regards to the Author's Notes (*), have a gold star for that bit of theorizing. It was outstanding.

Regarding your timing with reviews, it's just that you were thhhhhhhhhat close. Maybe an hour or less.

Actually, you're early this week....for you. I mean, I don't post till the 18th and you got in on the 15th.

I understand grumbling, Dear. I often promise myself a nice evening with my computer that never comes to pass due to something getting in the way.

I never said Talon had a good idea. But Bo wasn't totally cut off from contact with people. Orion said his father would go down into the cellar from time to time himself.

You're going to call a spirit a person? See you in philosophy class, Dear. Bring something to munch on. We'll be there a while.

True, Bo has a sense of self. And boy, has he got personality! But a person in my book has to have more than a 'sense of self'. He has to 'have self'. Bo doesn't. He's an entity.

If it makes you happy, Dear, and helps you understand him better, feel free to think of Bo as a person. I'm sure you're not the sole member of the club.

Oh, no, Dear! Mum is a live and kicking. And can't wait to meet the special lady who has made her little bundle of joy so happy. Or who made him happy at one time. Right now she's probably ready to kill the................witch.

OK. Host - Channeler. Two totally different people in who they are and how they relate to Bo.

Host (Talon) - The host can actually control the Power. That is how Talon was able to force Bo into the boggart. You'll note I've never (to my knowledge) ever said Bo did that willingly. It was always a forced issue. And that is probably the greatest difference between the two. Orion can not, when it comes down to the wire, force Bo to do anything. Talon says 'leave', Bo leaves. That simple.

Now, before you say anything, yes, Talon did have to force Bo out of his son when Orion first joined with the Power. But that was due to the circumstances. His son just became a Channeler for the Power. It had a link to Orion. Something to 'hold onto', if you like.

Secondly, there can only be one host at a time. And before Orion was even born, Talon became the new host when his father became to demented and disabled to serve in that capacity any longer.

Also, the host joins completely with the Power. The channeler can not. When Bo 'goes' somewhere with Orion, he's just along for the ride. If he were to go somewhere with Talon, the two would be indistinguishable. Talon would not have had to put any effort at all into destroying the Deatheaters lair. Orion had to guide the Power. Make it understand what he wanted it to do and give it a 'purpose'. Which was his anger.

Channeler (Orion) - Perhaps it's better to think of your channeler as simple a 'channel'. An access conduit for the Power into the channeler's world. Orion can't, as mentioned above, make Bo do anything. Bo response to Orion based on a give and take exchange. Orion allowes him to 'live', or to experience things in this realm. But the only way he can do that is if he participates. Otherwise he's just 'looking around'. 

Also, Orion is Bo's friend. Likely the first he's ever had. And Bo understands 'friend' very well. How well? Try hurting his friend.

It was absolutely against Talon's will that his son became a channeler for the Power. He never wanted his son's to have anything to do with the Power, or it with them.

Orion was not a born channeler. People aren't born that 'kind' of channeler here. But nor was it an act of will on Bo's part. Talon believes that Bo tricked his son into performing the spell that allowed Orion to join with the power. But he didn't really. Remember, the whole reason that incident came about was because Orion, as an eleven year old child, was afraid of being sent away from home to the big, scary world of boarding school. Bo understood the child was frightened. And probably feeling it even deeper than Orion would ever admit. So, his friend was afraid, and he wanted to help. What was it Bo ask him? Would it be less frightening if someone from home went with him?

And that was all poor Bo was trying to do. To help a small child be less afraid. He had no idea what he was going to do would effect Orion as it did. Bo didn't understand what it meant to make the boy his channeler, or that he was even doing that. He was simply trying to make it possible for him to leave the cellar so that he could go with Orion to school without anyone knowing.

Poor Bo.

Orion definitely had the potential to be a channeler cased on the fact he was the son of the host. And the first born son at that. It would not have been as easy for Sirius.

I assume that question is 'Can Bo use his power on his own, without a channler, since he protects the house'. Absolutely. Bo can yield his own power, host or no. That's a large part of what makes him so dangerous and one of the main reasons he has a host. To help him understand things in the very physical realm he finds himself in.

Bo can protect the house on his own because he knows how to do that. Orion has showed him how. But it's like working on an assembly line to Bo. It's very routine, and somewhat boring to him. Rarely does anything really ever happen. I mean, if Orion felt Bo was one hundred percent capable of safely dealing with whatever came up at the house, why would he bother with all the wards around his house. Bo is more of a 'last line of defense' rather than the main one.

How many people know and understand Bo?  
Two totally different questions there, Dear.

How many people know about Bo? Four. No, wait. Five. Six, if you count a hat as a person. And since we're already in philosophy class, feel free to dispute that one.

Who are they?

Well, obviously Talon, his wife, and Orion.

Charly.

Dumbledore.

And the Sorting Hat.

How Orion and his parents know I think is obvious.

Charly knows because Orion told him.

Dumbledore knows because of the incident at Orion's sorting, and hence, such is how the hat knows.

And, of course, Katlin...too some extent.

Oh! And someone you might not expect. Voldemort. However, Voldemort's knowledge is a bit....incomplete. He only knows the 'Power', he doesn't know about Bo or his relation to the Power.

Yes, poor Sirius was kept utterly in the dark about the Power. Oddly enough, though, he does know about Bo. But he views Bo as most people do. The family's pet boggart.

I'd love to hear those crazy theories, Dear. PAR just loves theories.

Actually, two points here. One, no, Orion did not 'just buy himself another wand'. And second, PAR made a little mistake.

Charly does not use Orion's original wand. He is using the second one Orion got. Why is that important? I'll let you think on that one for a while.

Dummmmm dee dee dum dee dum dum dee dee dum........all done?

OK.

Remember, Orion was originally sorted into Slytherin. Before he went to school, he got his wand, as we assume all students do. So his first wand would have been based on his original tendencies, which would have been a little dark. Now, were those tendencies his own, or what they became under Bo's influence? You decide. The point is, when Orion was sorted into Slytherin, Dad had a small....'discussion'...with the sorting hat, who decided he liked being a hat and not refashioned into someone's gym socks, and Orion was resorted into Gryffindor. Dad promptly took son out and got him a new wand. And on a second try, Orion bonded with a different wand. So you were literally dealing with two separate aspects to the boy's personality.

Naturally, Orion would not want to give up his original wand. It was his first. So he gave the second wand to Charly. A wand he had also bonded with and which could allow Charly to draw his magic directly off of the wizard the wand belong to. 

Does Orion mean to use Harry as an additional channeler for Bo? No, Dear. Orion's intentions towards his would-be nephew are completely honorable, I swear. Nothing underhanded going on here.

Well, you're riding a very fine line here. True, Harry living with Orion would seemingly tend to make him a member of the family. And true, Talon did not adopt the boggart. But like I said, you're riding a real fine line here. Harry is not a part of the family yet. Nor does he have any direct connection to the family past that he lives with Sirius and he adopted the family name. Past that, believe it or not, he is not family.

The boggart was a part of the family. He lived with them, interacted with them, and they accepted him as family. 

(Hand goes up in the back.)

*Sigh*

Yes?

Ms. PAR! Ms PAR! Harry lives with Sirius, interacts with him, and Sirius accepts Harry as part of the family! Isn't that the same thing!?

No. Sit down.

(I said it was a VERY fine line.)

Did I also mention it was a very deep hole I was standing in and I can barely see frinkin' sunlight anymore?

Moving on. The parameters of the original spell were that the Power could only be passed on between father and son, to the first born male. And that each generation only produced one male.

Well, that certainly isn't the way things are. Talon has two sons, and he dang sure didn't pass the Power on to either of them. So yes, the parameters of the spell have been altered.

Theoretically, Dear, if I go out into space and throw a wrench off in any direction, it will eventually come back to me, barring unforeseen circumstances happening to my wrench along the way, based on the idea that the universe is round. But no one has yet to prove that. And so yes, theoretically, Harry could be a potential host based on his family connection to Orion. But let me save you a lot of brain work on that one. It ain't gonna happen. Past that, see the Author's Notes.

So go have a nice sleep and dream that Warner Brothers is just playing with us and they actually picked someone else to play Sirius besides Gary Oldman. 

****

FAMILY LIFE

ParanoiaIn2005: 

Interesting name, Dear. But it worries me a bit.

To make someone my beta would truly be cruel, Dear. I don't hate anyone that much.

I'm surprised you missed the soap/soup bit. Most people caught that one.

Of course the story had problems. I wrote it in six months. 

Some people liked the sentimentality of Family Life, others blasted me for having too much. Can't please everyone, I guess. So I'll go with the majority. If you did not like the sentimentality in Family Life, Dear, you might not like the sequel.

All in all, glad you enjoyed the story.

I'm glad you are enjoying Family Relations, but I am warning you about the sentimentality level in this one. It's rather high.

If you're looking for Runaway, Dear, you're going to look for about two more months. That's when it comes out.

As for Fever, I suppose if you can handle the sentimentality in this one, you'll be OK for Family Relations.

Sorry, Dear, but I've already been more than adequately chastised for the wand incident. Yes, it was a glaring over-sight by me. But you'll have to get in line to smack me with the wet noodle for that one. Just about everyone caught it.

Thank you for the review, Dear.

****

FEVER

Kaye: 

Yeah, yeah. Get in line, Dear. Just about everybody caught that glaring error. Well, everyone but me.

So you want to meet Orion Black, Dear. Go check out Enemies, the upcoming Runaway (in which he has a cameo appearance), and the Fall 2004 release of Family Relations. Also feel free to check out the previews to that story listed on my Author's Page.

Reviews are as of 04172004.

And remember:

Sarcasm,

Just one more service I offer. 


	49. Chapter Forty: Meeting Again For The Se...

A/N: Well, folks, you might have noticed I missed last week. Nearly missed this week too. And there's a reason for that.

I have had a REALLLLLLLLLLLY bad past few weeks.

Not as bad as the people involved, but bad.

On April 20th, my father had a stroke and ended up in the hospital. The only person with him at the time it happened was me. People, let me assure you, this will scare the nu-nu out of you if you ever see it happen to someone. Strokes can be silent. People never even know they have them sometimes. But my father's was not such. It started with an attack of vertigo, which he has been prone to lately due to an inner ear infection, then proceeded onto a stroke. The scary part is you have no idea what is happening and the person can not tell you. So let me give you some advice. If someone with you nearly collapses, and can't answer what's wrong when you ask them, save both of you some time and trouble and just dial 911.

Thankfully, my father is a doctor and he knew what was happening. When he started to lose feeling in the right side of his body, he had Mom take him to the hospital. Unfortunately, my dad is a doctor and that makes him a bit stubborn about being in hospitals. This all happened at about 7:45PM. By 8:30 we were at the hospital. By 11:30 my dad was wiggling his fingers and toes and asking if he could go home now, he was fine.

We were very lucky. My father returned home last Sunday and is doing well.

So I went to work Monday.

On April 28th, one of the women I work with, a gentle soul if ever there was one, lost her 48 year old son to a sudden heart attack. The funeral was yesterday.

Friday night, when sitting down on my bed, the top half of the frame collapsed and I found my box spring was now sitting on the floor.

Somewhere in the middle of this week, I came home to find one of my cats had decided she didn't like her food anymore and proceeded to redeposit it on my bedroom rug and my sofa. She is now an out door kitty. And before you get all upset at me, understand, this was not a first time occurrence. I have been faithfully putting up with this for years. This was just the last straw. I mean that rug is dang near ruined.

Wednesday night I was given the music I have to sing for Confirmation mass on May 5th. The majority of it was new. Great. One week to learn this stuff.

Also this past week, my brother got his Phd. Good news, you say? Not to me. You see, I have been working on my Master's for over ten years, and the reason I haven't got it is that my school and I have a disagreement (which, do you really want to hear a ten year saga?), and now I get a front row seat to how happy and proud everyone is of my brother. I am not rising to the occasion, I'm afraid.

Oh, and one of my fish has disappeared and left no forwarding address. *Looks at the other two.* Uh oh.

So folks, it's been a long pat couple of weeks. I apologize for missing you last week, but what can I say. I was a bit busy.

Hopefully things will now settle down a bit. My family could use a little peace and quiet.

Also, what you're getting ready to read is actually three separate chapters combined into one. Hence, the headings. You'll see what I mean. 

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: You know the drill. 

Not. Not. Not. (Not mine. Not infringing. Not making money.) 

****

CHAPTER FORTY: MEETING AGAIN -** FOR THE SECOND TIME**

Charly And Treaks

The night after Orion had spent with Katlin, Charly found himself being dragged out of a bar into yet another back alleyway by a serious enraged Treaks.

"You know, I'm going to have to start drinking sooner, or your going to have to start showing up later." Charly informed the man before him. "Because you rarely show up in any mood I want to be a part of sober."

"Mood?" Treaks fumed at him. "You want a 'mood', Misser? Let me see what I can do for yours. I have some information you appear not to be aware of, or I'm sure your mood would be much the same as mine right now."

Charly took a draw off of the whisky in the glass he had managed to hold onto while Treaks dragged him out of the bar. "O.K.. Shoot."

"Your partner, Black, is back seeing Griss." Treaks stated in one well punctuated sentence.

Charly nearly choked over his drink. 

Wiping his mouth off on his sleeve, he turned a heated stare to the man before him. "You're lying! Orion is done with her. There is no way they could be back together."

Treaks gave the man a very self-satisfied sneer. "Really? Because that is exactly who Griss spent last night with. All night with."

"And how do you know? Did you stand at the window all night, or did they just send you the video in the morning?"

"Katlin didn't return with the others from the battle last night. I waited at her apartment, but she never returned there either. I checked every other place or person she might have gone to. No one had seen or heard from her in the last 12 hours. When I finally found her, back at her apartment, I asked her where she had been."

"And she told you to your face she had been with Black?" Charly asked, his tone verging somewhere between admiration and skepticism.

"She told me she had been injured in the battle and had gone to see a friend of her's. A doctor."

"Sounds reasonable."

"To you, I'm sure it would. The point is, she was lying. And badly at that. When I asked what this 'friend's' name was, she blew up at me. Started yelling at me and threw me out."

"Girl's got some sense after all." Charly muttered. "Point is, you have no proof she was with Orion."

"And Katlin is a creature of habit if nothing else. Since the memory charm, she's been spending her nights either at her apartment or at the lair. Now suddenly she become secretive about what she's doing and lying like a muggle about it when I ask where she's been."

"You still haven't proven any real problem exists." 

"I don't wait for problems to walk up and introduce themselves, Misser. I believe in dealing with things while they are still manageable."

"And your manageable solution would be....?"

"I'll let you know." Treaks replied. And with that same un-nerving smile Charly was seriously starting to hate, disapparated.

************************************

MEETING AGAIN FOR THE SECOND TIME

Well, he tried.

And he tried, and tried, and tried.

He had tried for nearly a week.

But finally Orion had given in.

He called her.

Of course, there were risks. But he had run the scenario over in his mind so many times, promising himself if he got it all narrowed down to every possibility he could make the call, he was sure he was ready for just about anything.

Sitting on the sofa in his den, he could barely get the fire lit fast enough to make the call. He would stick to voices only. No pictures. That would be best. And it suited his goals for the call as well.

"Yes?" The voice answered from within the flames.

The sound was like a suave on his frayed nerves. The longer he had fought the desire to see her again, the worse the pain within him had gotten.

"Hello, Katlin." He answered in as normal sounding a voice as he could manage. It was never good to sound desperate, he reminded himself.

There was a notable pause before the voice responded.

"Who is this?"

"Just a dedicated doctor checking on his patient.'

The voice turned hard and cold. "How did you get this connection? How did you know where to find me?"

"I told you. I'm dedicated."

"And you can answer the question or this will be the shortest call of your life."

Orion sighed quietly. He had expected her to be piqued that he went so far as to track her down and call her. But he was ready for that.

"I had a patient come in yesterday. The man was a Deatheater. I asked a few questions.....you know...just making conversation, and got your name."

"A patient." Came the disbelieving tone. "Who not only willingly told you he was a Deatheater, but told you the name of another Deatheater? What was he doing? Handing out lists?"

"First off, the man has been my patient for a very long time. And he trusts me. Not that he had much choice. After a few times of coming in for some rather....odd treatments at less than regular office hours, one does start asking questions, you understand." 

"Then when you got too curious, he should have killed you." Came the casual reply.

"And I told you, the man has been my patient for a very long time. Since he was a young child." She hadn't broken the connection yet, anyway. And Orion was taking that as a good sign.

"He still wouldn't have known where I live." Katlin pointed out.

"Maybe not. But you forget, I work for the Ministry. They're very good at finding people."

The voice suddenly became alarmed. "The Ministry knows where I live?!"

Orion quickly answered the question, trying to calm her down before she cut the connection. "No, Love. I do my own research. The Ministry just gives me the access to what I need. They rarely question what I'm looking up or why."

"You sound very well connect with them." Came the hardened accusation.

"I work for them, Katlin. No great mystery there. And I have for a very long time."

There was a short pause. "I see." She replied finally, in a tone a little less icy this time. "So, you got my name from another Deatheater."

"Yes."

The question came snapped back at him through the fire. "What was his name?"

But he had well anticipated this trap. "Katlin, the man is my patient. I can't tell you his name. That's privileged information."

"And I rarely know of Deatheaters who so freely give out information to strangers."

"And I'm not a stranger to the man, I told you. And it wasn't 'freely given'. The man was as suspicious as you are. I had to tell him quite a good story to get your name out of him."

"What story?"

Orion smiled at the question. This was going better than he anticipated. "If you come over, I'll be more than happy to tell it to you."

Silence.

"Think of it as a medical visit." He added. "I would like to check your eyes again."

"My eyes are fine." Came the answer. Each time she was answering him her tone was a little less cold.

"From what I remember, you eyes are gorgeous." He practically purred at her. It never hurt to bait your trap with all you had when your prey was this skittish.

Silence.

"Come on." He coaxed in a soft, seductive voice. "You're dieing to see what I actually look like, yes?"

He could practically hear her interest peak through the fire.

"I don't know how to get to your house." Came the casual reply.

Orion smiled at the little flame. "And a gentleman always escorts a lady." He replied.

***************************

Orion didn't think he could possibly have been any more pleased with the evening then when he stepped out of the small flames and into Katlin's apartment. But his enthusiasm waned quickly as he met with a long thin wand pointed directly in his face. A face that quickly etched itself into a deep frown.

"'Hello' would have worked just fine." He stated.

"You smell like an Auror!" Katlin stated firmly, keeping the wand leveled at him.

Orion gave her first a shocked, then a deeply disappointed look. "Damn!" He stated. "And the girl at the counter swore it wouldn't make me smell like an Auror!" He quickly ran a hand over his cheek, then sniffed it, responding with a deep frown. "But you know? I think you're right. It smells just like Auror."

"No simple doctor would know the things you know how to do." Katlin responded firmly. "They're all Auror tricks of the trade. And you're smelling more like one every minute."

Orion crossed his arms over his chest. "How so?" He stated bluntly.

"You know they're tricks. How they work. How they get information. That all spells 'Auror' to me."

"Really? Because what it spells out to me is a man very desperate to see an incredibly attractive woman again, who has occupied most of his waking hours and who he couldn't wait to see again. Right down to tricking a long time friend into giving him the information he needed."

"Friend?" Katlin asked slowly.

"The Deatheater who gave me your name?" Orion reminded her. "He's not just a long time patient, he's an old friend. And I didn't like one bit tricking him into giving me your name, because I know doing such a thing could get him into serious trouble with his contemporaries. So, over and above the fact that the man is my patient, I wouldn't give you his name because such information could get him rather severely punished, if I understand the Deatheaters very well."

Katlin considered the information for a few moments. Then very slowly her wand lower a slight bit. "You don't understand us at all." She replied. "Such a thing could get him killed if anyone found out what he had done."

Orion watched her wand slowly lower, but not all the way.

"Look," He tried to soothe her fears a bit more, "if I seem to do things like an Auror, it's probably because I've worked for them as a staff physician for years. You start to pick up things no matter how subconsciously."

The wand stayed where it was.

Orion sighed to himself. "All I wanted was to see you again." He stated a bit forlornly. "I didn't mean to frighten you or make you angry or suspicious. So perhaps it would be better if I just left."

He turned back to the fire.

"What is your name?" 

The question was asked so abruptly, he almost wasn't expecting it.

Almost.

Orion smiled slightly, but quickly hid it under a neutral expression as he turned back to her.

"What does that matter?" He ask.

"You know mine." Katlin stated in a bit less authoritative voice. "But I don't know yours."

Orion smiled at her. "Come to dinner with me, and I might tell you." 

The wand quickly came back up. "You will do as I tell you! What is your name?"

Orion huffed at her. "Oh, that'll get you far." He stated firmly, crossing his arms back over his chest as he defiantly met her stare.

"Answer me!"

"Not unless you have dinner with me."

Katlin returned his frown. "You're manipulating the situation."

"Believe it." He replied with a slight smile. "I have something you desperately want. You have something I want. So we trade. Another one of those little 'Auror tricks of the trade' I'm so good at."

Katlin frowned deeper at his statement. "You have nothing I want."

"Then you're perfectly satisfied never knowing my name?"

Katlin paused. 

For a very long time.

"I'll tell you what." Orion offered, hoping to nudge her along in the right direction. He quickly pulled his wand out of his jacket pocket handle first and tossed it to her. Katlin barely caught it in time. "You hold onto that for the evening. Fair?"

Katlin stood for a moment, staring at the wand in her hand. Slowly her eyes slid back to him, the smallest trace of a smile curving over her lips.

"Fair."

**************************

Although being without his wand for the evening made him more than a little uneasy at times, Orion had to admit it had been more than worth it.

He stretched out under the covers, then quickly grabbed the body next to him and tossed it over to his side of the bed.

"Magic above, woman!" He stated as a slight shriek answered his act. "Is sleeping all you do in a bed?"

A sheet covered head pulled up and stared him down. "Is your memory that short!?" She stated, smacking him lightly on the nose.

He pulled up closer to her. "Remind me."

Two cloth draped arms quickly encircled him and dragged him back down to the bed over her. Reaching up he carefully pulled the cover back to be greeted by a warm smile.

"Well?" She ask.

"I'm still waiting."

"And so am I."

Orion gave her a puzzled stare.

"You made me a promise last night." She reminded him. "Time to pay the piper, Mr. Doctor."

Orion suddenly understood what she was eluding to. Thankfully, he was ready for this as well.

"I don't know that you've actually quite earned that yet." He stated playfully, nipping her ear.

Katlin shoved him back. "And you haven't paid for anything more." She stated.

Orion sighed and pulled back, laying over on his back again on the bed. "And if I don't tell you, are you going to curse me?"

"In the worse way possible."

"Meaning?"

"I won't come back."

"And if I tell you, you will?"

"Maybe."

"Kiss first."

Katlin frowned at him. He could tell he was pressing her limits.

"Just one." He promised.

Katlin frowned a bit deeper, but then gave in and leaned down to him. 

Two warm arms wrapped themselves about her thin frame and pulled her tightly against the body under her. All of which she gave in to with little resistance. A gentle but eager pair of lips quickly broke from her's and traced a path around her jaw line to her ear, where his teeth found her ear lope and gave it a gentle tug.

She heard a gentle whisper in her ear.

Katlin pulled back in surprise. "Sier?" She asked bluntly. "What sort of name is that?"

Orion frowned at her. His brother never complained about his childhood nickname.

"It's a perfectly good name, I'll have you know."

"Perfectly good? It sounds more like your parents got bored half way through naming you and quit."

"I'll be sure to regal them with that tale some day."

Katlin laid back on the bed and played the name over several times as she thoughtfully tapped her chin.

"You know, you can call me anything you like." He finally stated when the name didn't seem to be gaining much favor with her.

Katlin thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Sier just doesn't seem to suit you." She finally said.

"Suit me?"

"Not much of a name for a doctor. What do the other medi-wizards call you? Dr. Sier?"

A finger lightly thumped her on the nose. "You're not getting a last name that easily." He stated. "I'll have to think up something very special for you to do in exchange for that." 

He didn't want to get into details too much. Especially what he might be called at his supposed job. Katlin was thorough if nothing else. She would likely check the name out if she knew all of it. This way she only had a vague first name to go by. It wouldn't get her very far. He was safe for the time being.

Safe to keep seeing her.

Safe to have her in his life again.

Safe to hold her in his arms through the night.

And this time he wouldn't let go. He's make sure he wouldn't have to. He wouldn't make the same mistake.

"Sier?"

Orion pulled out of his thoughts to find Katlin giving him a questioning stare. 

"Where were you? You seemed like you were on a whole different planet."

"Short trip." Orion replied with a smile. "Did you miss me?"

Katlin paused for a moment, then returned his smile. "Terribly."

"I've been looking forward to the homecoming party."

"You'll like it." She replied with a mischievous grin. "Only two guests."

Orion pulled the covers back over them as he pulled her back to him. "Sounds perfect."

***************************

BUT WHERE DO YOU FIND THE TIME?

Charly had spent the first few days of the week just watching his partner. The man was definitely a good deal happier than usual. A point that left him more than a little uneasy. All the signs pointed to Treaks telling the truth. Orion was back seeing Katlin.

When his partner's actions had told him all they could, he figured it was time to get it straight from the horse's mouth.

He planned his approach as well as he could. Early in the morning, when Orion wouldn't be looking for anything. That was the best time to hit him with something like this.

"Oy, Black." Charly announced, coming into his partner's office. "I got a question for you."

Orion didn't look up from the parchment he was working on. "I got to get this report to Bale this morning, Charly. Can it wait?"

"'Fraid not, partner. Kind of important."

"All right." Orion stated, looking up as he shoved the parchment out of the way. "What's on your mind?"

"For starters, you."

"Me? What have I done?"

"Kind of what I'd like to know, mate."

"Meaning?"

"For weeks now you've been coming in here looking like your pet dog just died. You hardly say two words to anyone and, when you do, all you do is snap at people. Then one day, suddenly, you're the hit of the office. You're smiling, you're pleasant. You're even being nice to Bale."

"And you're unhappy with this because......?"

"I want to know why the sudden change. Because, mate, the last time you were like this, so help me, you were seeing Griss."

Orion grabbed the parchment and pulled it back under him. "Charly, you really need to get yourself a love life of your own, you know? Because the amount of time you're devoting to mine is starting to worry me a little."

Charly grabbed the parchment and pulled it back away from him. "Then tell me I'm wrong." He stated firmly. "You look me right in the eyes and you say, 'Charly, I am not seeing Katlin Griss again'."

Orion sighed as he reached over and grabbed hold of the parchment. "Fine." He replied, pulling it back onto his desk. "Charly, I happen to have it on very good authority that currently Katlin believes she is seeing a 35 year old doctor named 'Sier'."

Orion leaned back over the parchment on his desk, barely suppressing the small smile on his face before Charly grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled him up to face him.

"'Sier'?" Came the sharp, short question. "Isn't that the name we used to call your little brother?"

Orion looked positively shocked, then equally amazed. "Strange that!" He exclaimed. "What are the odds?"

"None I would bet on." Charly replied solemnly. "So what's up? Your little brother went to medical school, got the fastest degree in history, is now sleeping with Griss, and you're happy about it? What is the woman planning to do? Sleep her way through you're whole family?"

Orion frowned at the suggestion. "I hope not."

"Me too." Charly replied, less than convinced by Orion's story. "So Griss is seeing a doctor who just coincidentally has the same name as your little brother's nickname?"

"No." Orion replied.

Charly almost got in a sigh of relief before Orion went on.

"I said she 'believes' she is seeing a 35 year old doctor named Sier."

"Believes?" Charly asked slowly, not liking one bit where this was seemingly going.

"Well," Orion replied with a small smile, "I'm not 35."

Charly stared at the man for nearly a half a minute. "Do I need to get my decoder book out for this one?" He asked finally.

"It's very simple, Charly."

"Then explain it to me."

"Katlin believes I am a 35 year old Medi-wizard named Sier."

Charly nearly jumped the man, but settled for a solid grip on his shirt. "You!" He shouted down at the man he practically had his hands wrapped around the throat of. "She's seeing......you're seeing her again!? And where did you get off telling her you were a Medi-wizard?"

Orion seemed utterly unfazed by the assault. "The same place she got the idea I was 35. She told me."

"She told you you were a doctor?"

"Sort of."

"Well she sure didn't just pull that name out of thin air, partner."

"Noooo...., that one I supplied."

Charly's right hand found a handful of his partner's hair. "Black, if I don't get a straight answer out of you, I swear, what I have in my hand will be prominently displayed on my wall tonight."

Orion followed the grip on his hair as best he could, trying to ease the tension on it. "Not the hair! Not the hair!"

Charly slowly eased his grip. "And you didn't give her your real name because?"

"Because she would know the name. And I couldn't risk that she might recognize my name. Even remember it."

"And the fact that she wouldn't shag an Auror didn't hurt your motivation either?"

"She did once."

"And I'm hoping between the two of you at least one isn't gung-ho on repeating their mistakes. I mean once I can see, Orion. But twice?"

"Charly, I'm not going to screw it up this time."

"Mate, I'm not even questioning that. I know lots of people that keep making the same mistake over and over. And we have a word for them. Stupid!"

"Thank you, Charly. Supportive as ever. And you're so sure I'll screw it up again?"

"No, mate. I'm positive. Because this can never work. You or Griss, one of you will suddenly decide this isn't working out anymore. 

But I'm not your keeper, Orion. You want to screw up your life over this piece of fluff, be my guest. But where do you find the time to keep doing this over and over? That's what I want to know. Do you honestly have nothing better to do than to keep dragging this problem back into your life?"

"Katlin isn't a 'problem', Charly. She is, without a doubt, the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"That is the 'best thing' that has ever happened to you? Then you, my friend, have had a sad life. Orion, your life was good before you met the woman. Granted, it seemed a bit better while you were with her, but things went downhill, and at a rapid pace. And it'll happen again if you don't do something to stop it first."

"Like what?"

Charly paused for a moment, making sure he had his partner's full attention. "Break it off, Mate. And do it now."

"Have you lost your mind?"

"No, but I'm beginning to wonder about you quite seriously."

"Charly, this is serendipity. It was meant to happen. You can't fight something like that."

"I suggest you try." Charly replied in a firm, level tone. "And try hard."

"I did." Orion answered. "It didn't work. She came back into my life, Charly. I can't just let this opportunity go."

"Fine." Charly stated, standing back up and facing his partner with a hard stare. "What are you planning to do, Orion? Quit the Department, go to Med School, get a diploma, take an aging potion, and change your name? Great Magic, man! Why don't you just set her up with Sirius?"

"He's not 35 or a medi-wizard either."

"Maybe not. But he's further ahead in this game than you are. I mean, there's a heck of a lot less to change!"

Orion turned his attention back to the parchment on his desk. "It's not open to discussion, Charly. I am not breaking it off with her. If I can see her again, I will."

Charly started to say something more, but stopped himself. Instead he simply stood for a few moments more staring at the man at the desk, then turned and left the office.

Outside the door he paused for a moment, leaning against it as he stared at the opposite wall. What was it Treaks had said? He believed in dealing with things while they were still manageable?

Charly took a deep breath as he pushed himself away from the door and started down the hallway, wondering what Treaks 'manageable solution' was. 

****

Q&A

ENEMIES 

Sweets: 

Being married off is bad enough. But to a groom who hates you and with whom you share the feeling, it's worse. But Katlin is loyal. An attribute you will hear connected to her many times by different people. And it will always prove true. The problem is when loyalties become divided and you have to make a choice.

But currently Katlin simply views things as 'this is what Voldemort wants', and so she does as he has ask.

Bio and math? In the same semester. You got balls, girl. Where are the easy courses. Underwater Basket Weaving 101 and such?

By the way, what's the major?

The wedding was......interesting. I'd kill to get rid of the tape.

Nope, a memory charm will kill love off like a 357 Magnum puts holes in car doors. But another spell.............! (Think about it, Dear, then go back and re-read Chapter Thirty (by my count, not Fanfiction's) It's Really All A Bit Confusing, taking special note of the end.)

Cute idea about the memory charm thing though.

As for Family Relations, indeed, Orion plays a big part in Family Relations and reading Enemies will help you understand that story better.

Again, all I can say is what I have said before and hope people believe me. Orion is not doing what he is doing because he is having a slow summer and has nothing better to do. He is doing all of this for a very good reason.

Hope the exams went well. 

Silverfox: 

*PAR apologizes to her computer* 

I know its long, but I can't just ignore her!

(Just kidding, Dear.)

Yes indeed, I shine those things up before I hand them out.

Oh, I just love it when someone, having read Family Relations, looks at it...., realllllly looks at it, at what's going on, takes a guess, and hits the nail right on the head (in a choice between two, as you did). Regarding Arabella's actions. Dear, I'll help you out on this. Look back over the story so far. What has she been trying to do? She is desperately trying to keep Harry, not away from Sirius, but from ever being alone with Sirius. If she went somewhere, she took Harry with her. So poor Harry ended up going on some pretty weird errands with his godmother. I mean, what fifteen year old boy wants to go shopping for a wedding dress? Or skip the dress part. What fifteen year old boy wants to go shopping?

I'm helping again, Dear. Pointing you in the right direction. Taking Harry away isn't good for Sirius. It's good for Harry. It isn't doing anything for the person he's being taken away from.

The last thing on this earth Orion Black will ever do is out-rightly harm his little brother.

I understand finding time to read, Dear. Believe me. It eludes me most of the time. Probably how I got to be so good at speed reading. I had to fit books into the time frame allowed. I had four hours to read OotP, so I used them.

Actually, Bo got a very small taste of the world through his host. And not because Talon ignored him. But Bo had no way to communicate with his Host outside of the normal relationship. And Talon had severed that by giving Bo a body of his own. Bo didn't really start learning anything until a little boy got overly curious about what was in the cellar.

Men? Logical thought? I don't think so.

Parrots = intelligence. Works for me, Dear. But then, I've lived with an Amazon Red-head for 36 years, and you will never convince me that bird isn't intelligent. Every night when my Mom puts dinner on the table, she sits on her top stick (The parrot, not my mother), where the view is best, looks over what's on the table. If she finds something there she likes, she slides down the bars to the open front door of her cage and squawks until she gets what she wants. Intelligence comes into this in the fact that she has us so well trained, we give it to her.

Well, the 'person' thing comes down to the 'person' part of this for me. As I've said before, Bo is just an entity. He's pure power. No form. And he didn't really have a lot of personality until he joined with the boggart.

More of a toddler than a spirit? Definitely. But I think I've been saying that all along. Orion sees his friend as little more than a perpetually hyper three year old.

When your lover is a Deatheater, when is it ever a good time to meet Mum?

Well, now I just have to slap you. Because I have to pull out my Acme Loophole and use it. And these things are so darned expensive. The 'Power' isn't split yet, obviously, since it is in Bo. (Follow carefully now.) It's potential is split. The 'Power' recognizes all of the family; host, channeler, or other. So Bo would never hurt Sirius, even though he has no direct connection to him, because he would recognize him as 'family'. Even better, he would recognize him as a potential host. Now, Bo has a link with Orion but not with Sirius? Sort of true. Sirius has the latent ability to use Bo just as Orion does, and to be a host. He has not yet tapped into that ability.

Keep in mind, Orion had to perform a spell to become a channeler of the 'Power'. Sirius could perform the same spell and get similar results. Someone not connected to the family in some way, shape, or form, could perform the spell all day and get nothin'.

Dear, does any of this help?

I realize the explanation isn't much, but the loophole was very small.

Ummmmm, might I suggest that one big reason Talon and his wife might have for keeping Orion alive is he's their son?

You have the next part sort of right. Charly got some of his information about Bo from the wizard in the north. But Charly knew about Bo's existence long before that. Orion told him. The wizard in the north just filled in a few of the blanks. His picking Charly wasn't random, believe me.

Dumbledore has nothing to do with the murder of Orion's contact in Austria.

The Sorting Hat would have reason to have a small grudge against the Black family. After all, Orion's father.............'had a talk with it' once, and got his eldest pride and joy resorted. That's right up there with telling the hat, "Oy! You made a mistake. Try again."

But no, the hat has nothing to do with what's going on.

Katlin knows about the wizard in the north, but she is far too loyal to Voldemort to be a spy.

Voldemort is not in need of professional help..........well, not for that anyway.

How does Voldemort know about the 'Power'? Hard work. Voldemort has approached the Black's as potential allies only to be turned down flat. This is not advisable to do to Voldemort. He tends to take offense. And in taking offense, he will look for ways to annoy you. He finds these ways by digging into your family history and getting a'hold of as much dirt as possible. You go digging in the Black family history and it's amazing what you'll find. Did I just give you a handful of useful information? More than ever before. So Voldemort didn't get his information about the 'Power' from Charly or Treaks. He got it from doing a little homework.

Now, does that mean he knows about Bo? Well, yes and no. But that comes out in Family Relations, so I won't bore you here with details.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh no, Dear!!!!!!!!! Do not make the assumption Johnathan Treaks is an idiot. He is not. Not by a long shot. The man is very dangerous, and very capable of proving it.

Severus is the wizard in the north? Wow! That's a new one! It's still wrong, but it's new.

Severus is working for the wizard in the north (and you're sure of it)? Wow! That's a new one too. It's also still wrong, but it's new.

So you assume Orion is using his first wand 'again'? Dear, when did he stop exactly?

Orion got his wand before he became a channeler? Now come on, Silverfox! I know you better than this. You think things out too well to make this mistake. Not so. He became a channeler before he went to Hogwarts. Remember that the whole reason he became a channeler was because he was afraid of going off to school alone and Bo suggested coming with him. Also, the whole reason he has two wands to begin with is because he was a channeler for the 'Power' and the hat was trying to sort one of the two 'personalities' it encountered. The question is, which one was he sorting first? Without the 'Power' would Orion have still been sorted into Slytherin? Or was the hat trying to sort Bo and not Orion?

*Hand goes up in the back* 

Wait! Wait! But Orion's father got rid of Bo, forcing him out of his son before he went to Hogwart's. You said so! So how would the hat have known anything about Bo if he wasn't there?

*Frowns* Sit down!

Actually, valid point. But the 'Power' had already touched Orion. That you never get rid of.

The second wand would have a closer connection to Bo? Not at all. In fact, the reason Orion kept his original wand is because it has the closer connection to Bo. (Now go back and look at the last part again, and know that I am perfectly prepared to totally screw up any assumptions you are about to make about the answer to that question. Why? The Sorting Hat looks at your personality. Nothing else.)

Actually, Harry can not be a host unless the 'Power' accepts him as part of the family. But in order for it to do that, the majority of the family must accept the person as well.

Hope I gave you a few new points to think about.

nessie:

OK. Point for my side, point for your side here.

My side, I never said he was thirty-five. Only that that was what a half-blinded Katlin said he looked like to her. Orion is indeed, in this story about twenty-eight. Sirius is no more than six years younger, since they were at Hogwart's at the same time.

Your side, yes, I did say his eyes were grey and switched them to blue. Counter point? See above. I never said they were blue, only that that was what Katlin saw. (Little loophole there, but I'll give you the point anyway......oh....(*) and a gold star for catching it.)

I know Fall 2004 seems like a long way away, Dear. But only to you. To me it's just around the corner and I had better get this story done fast!

Consolation? Well, I'm not sure if it is or not, but know that I have been promising this story at regular intervals for about a year and a half now. And I have yet to actually post it. Soooooooo, will it actually come out in Fall of 2004? I'm really trying, Dear. I swear.

I do not find superlicious in my spell check, Dear. But then, neither is 'nu-nu's' from the Author's Notes.

At work they insist I have a whole separate language I have created to use just for my e-mails. The problem is when I type an e-mail, or when I'm typing off the top of my head and not looking at something, I tend to type about 130 words a minute. The down side of that is I tend to also make mistakes. LOTS of mistakes. And I don't check my e-mails before I hit the 'Send' button. Or at least I didn't use to. Now I do, and spend a terrific amount of time making corrections.

You find short hair sexy? What's wrong with you, Dear? Oh well, you're going to be very happy soon then.

skahducky:

Thank you. I liked it.

Didn't Orion promise he would leave Katlin alone right before she got the memory charm? Well, that depends who you ask. 

Anyone else? Yes, he did. Word for word. 

Orion? Well, sort of. What time limits were we talking here?

Taking her home went a bit far? What about spending the night with her, Dear? And in the morning the man did everything but purpose to her. Orion crossed so many lines in that twelve hour period he lost sight of the original one within the first hour.

Breaking his promise to her? Again, who are you asking?

The rest of the world? You bet.

Orion? What sort of time limits are we talking here?

Glad you liked it, Dear.

****

SIRIUSLY BORED

enb2004:

So glad you enjoyed the story(s), Dear. If you like good humor, I recommend The Ultimate Harry Potter Cliche Catalogue. You won't regret it.


	50. Chapter FortyOne: Capture

A/N: Sometimes they're short.

Sometimes they're long.

Sometimes they're books in and of themselves.

This is a book.

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Looks over lottery tickets Damn! Didn't win here either.

****

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: CAPTURE

The Deatheaters hurried down the metal stairs of muggle refinery, moving with a lot less stealth than usual.

One of the men stopped at the bottom and hurried the others past him.

The man in the rear stopped next to the other as the rest hurried down the next flight.

"Johnathan, lets just apparate out of here!" The man practically pleaded. "The Aurors are right on our tails. We're busted and so is the mission. It's time for a hasty retreat."

Treaks shot the man a dangerous look. "And just who is in charge of this mission?" He ask in a low, level tone. "You or me?" A solid shove didn't even give the man time to answer as he was sent after the others. "Now move!"

The man hurried to catch up with the others while Treaks held back and waited.

"What is he doing?" One of the Deatheaters ask as the other joined the group. "He's hanging back too much. We could lose the wretched Aurors if Treaks wasn't stopping every few minutes to make sure they kept sight of us."

The other hurried on past the man on his way down the steps. "Maybe you'd like to stay here and give him your valuable opinion."

The man considered, the hurried after the others down the next flight.

The group paused at the bottom, waiting for Treaks to catch up to them.

"Johnathan, what's going on?" The first man ask. "Do you want the Aurors to catch up to us?"

"Just one of them." Treaks replied with a maniacal smile. With another solid shove he sent the man stumbling off to one side. "Take the others and go off that way." He instructed him. "And make sure the Aurors can hear you. Lead them for a few minutes, then disapparate back to the lair."

The man paused for a few seconds, considering his orders, then finally nodded and started off, gathering the others with him as he went. If Treaks was that keen on staying behind, so be it.

As soon as they had taken off, Treaks hurried up a flight of steps that led in the opposite direction. At the top, he crouched down and waited. He could hear the others well enough still. That was good.

He turned his attention quickly to the sounds coming from where the group had just come from. Running feet could be heard. A good deal softer than those of his group, but audible none-the-less.

Treaks pulled back a bit more so that he was completely hidden. As the Aurors came into sight, moving swiftly towards the stairs the Deatheaters had been on just moments before, he smiled as he saw the men leading them.

The lead Auror fired a spell at the stairs, causing them to pull up and flatten out into a smooth ramp. The first two Aurors took the ramp like a pair of kids taking on a slide.

Orion Black, followed by his partner, Charly Misser.

Treaks remained where he was, taking careful aim. Maybe he could get a little something extra out of the plan that he had.

The spell shot out of the tip of his wand, headed for the base of the stairs.

At the calculated rate, Treaks reasoned the spell and the muggle pretender would hit the base of the stairs at exactly the same time.

But as the spell headed towards them, the Auror caught sight of it and put his arm out, digging his heels into the smooth surface and stopping himself as well as his partner.

The spell hit the base of the stairs in an eruption of sparks, missing its intended target by inches. But the two Aurors had already cleared the ramp off to either side, followed less than a split second later by the others as the whole group went for cover.

Treaks barely had time to put the rest of his plan into effect as the Aurors came out from their cover, a plan of their own already in place.

Just the one Treaks had hoped for.

Misser and the others headed after the Deatheaters while Black, providing their cover, headed right for where Treaks was hiding.

Perfect.

Treaks had counted on Black to be the one who would try to keep him busy by coming after him while the others went after the Deatheaters.

Treaks took off, headed in the opposite direction from what the Deatheaters had taken. He wanted to get as much distance between Black and the other aurors as he could.

Everything was going exactly according to his plan.

Treaks made sure he was far enough ahead of the Auror to be out of sight. That was when he laid his trap, using a spell the master had taught him. It had taken a few well constructed lies to get the particulars of the spell. But what mattered was that in the end, he got them. And the spell was going to serve him well.

He used the perimeter of the spell as the four corners of the room he currently stood in. The room, though mostly empty, was extremely large. Treaks figured that it was used from time to time as some sort of storage space for crates until they could be shipped out to their destinations. The size of the room might strain the spell's strength, but it would possibly also serve to keep Black from detecting it. A part that was crucial to his plan. Treaks waited until he heard the Auror approaching then spoke the spell as the master had taught him. He waited a few more moments, then took off running across the room. He couldn't appear to be waiting for the Auror or Black would become suspicious.

A blast from a spell cut over his shoulder and erupted into sparks on the far side of the wall. He had counted on that. A warning shot. Not meant to hit him, only get his attention. And the shot came nearly just when he had planned for it. When he was nearly on the other side of the room near the doorway.

Pulling to a stop, Treaks turned to face his adversary.

"Johnathan Treaks!" Orion stated, holding his wand pointed at the man before him. "Well, this is just my lucky day, isn't it?"

Treaks watched as the Auror entered the room. He needed Black at least halfway or he might still have a trick up his sleeve that would allow him to escape. If he was in the center of the room when Treaks sprung his trap, there would be no chance for him to escape.

"I suppose that depends on how you look at it." Treaks replied.

"I'll consider it lucky if it's all the same to you."

Treaks watched the man advance slowly across the room, but never moved himself. The Auror was looking for a trap. He needed to distract him.

"I suppose it's lucky for me as well." He stated.

"Looking for a free trip to Azkaban, are you?"

"Oh, I'm in no danger of going to Azkaban." Treaks replied. "At least not today."

Orion stopped. "And what makes today so special for you, Treaks?"

"Because you're the Auror chasing me, and you're going to let me go."

Orion gave s slight snort of laughter. "Really? I catch Voldemort's second-in-command, and I am going to let him go because.....?"

Treaks gave the Auror a very self-satisfied smile. "Because you wouldn't want to upset Katlin, now, would you, Auror?"

Orion narrowed his eyes slightly, but said nothing.

Treaks smiled to himself. The shot had hit pay dirt. All he had to do not was play the man until he was ready to spring his trap.

"I know all about you and Griss, Black." He went on.

"You're babbling, Treaks." Came the almost steady answer.

Almost.

The Auror was interested. Treaks could hear it in his voice.

"Really? Then perhaps Katlin was just babbling as well when she told me about your relationship with her. About how very easy it was for her to manipulate you. To draw you in. But you see, that is what she does. It's what she is. And you fell for it easier than anyone I had ever seen. The great Auror Orion Black, lapdog to Voldemort's top Elite."

A small smile crept over the Auror's face. "You know nothing, Treaks." Orion stated.

"Of course." Treaks replied. "That's how I know about this at all. Oh, it seemed to be give and take. You got bits of information. But what she got from you was far more valuable. We used to have a good laugh over it during the days....in the lair....in her rooms."

"And all of this is going to get you a 'Get out of Azkaban free' card because why?" Came the very cold question.

Treaks had to give the man credit. He didn't think Black would hold his ground this long. "Because you won't want to be the one responsible for killing the man Katlin loves."

A short snort of laughter answered the statement. "You are babbling still, Treaks." Orion stated. "You are the last person in the whole wizarding world Katlin Griss would be in love with."

"And you were played, Auror." Treaks stated with a cold smile. "By Voldemort's best."

Orion returned the smile. "And you know nothing."

"Really? Then I know nothing about your coming to see her at her apartment. Nothing about Lawrence Oliver's party. Nothing about the envelope she claimed she found there. Nothing about the wizard in the north she has been warning you about. Nothing about her manipulating her way into your home. Nothing about the story of her past she told you, about how her parents were murdered. And I wouldn't know anything at all about the story you were fed about who was really responsible for what happened in her village."

Treaks could tell just by the look in the Auror's eyes he was pushing ever single right button with the man.

"She told you what you wanted to hear." He goaded him on. "Did what you expected of her. Everything she had to to get you to trust her and tell her what she wanted to know." Treaks gave him a smile. "Right down to lying to you that she was pregnant."

That was it. The final push he needed. The Auror took three running steps towards him. His sole goal to get his hands around the Deatheater's throat.

Treaks jumped back, clearing the room and immediately touched the tip of his wand to the floor.

"Amatray!" He shouted.

The room erupted in a flash of light. The energy coursed through every square inch of the room like electricity following a grid map that had been laid out. All of it finally centering on the lone figure in the middle of it.

Treaks had to shield his eyes from the power of the blast. But when he finally looked back, all that remained was a lone figure laying crumpled on the stone floor.

With a pleased smile Treaks walked over to the man and gave the body a sharp kick.

"Great magic!" He thought, pulling the body up in one arm as he pulled a portkey out of his pocket. "It shouldn't be this easy."

Within minutes of arriving back at the ministry, Charly knew something wasn't right. Orion didn't return to the arranged area. And absolutely no one had seen him since they returned. In fact, the last anyone had seen of him was when he went after the Deatheater on his own.

Charly headed straight for Bale's office, not bothering to waste time on formalities as he burst into the office without knocking.

"Sir, we have trouble." He stated.

Without looking up from his desk, Bal continued to work on the report on his desk. "Tell Black whatever he's doing, I said to stop it."

"If I knew where he was, Sir, I'd be happy to."

Bale looked up this time. "Where he was? You're his partner, Misser. You should know where the man is."

"The last anyone saw of him, Sir, he was headed after a Deatheater over at the Mierson Plant on our last mission."

Bale was out of his chair in an instant. "Charson. Markel. Report! Now!"

Two Auror's instantly apparated in front of their superior.

Before either could say a word Bale turned a furious stare on them. "Black. Where is he?!"

The two men suddenly looked very nervous. "He hasn't reported in yet, Sir." One of them answered finally.

"And exactly how long were you planning on giving him?" Bale nearly yelled at the two. "The man went after a Deatheater alone. He hasn't reported back yet. How many more parts of this equation do you need before you decide it adds up to something bad?"

"We were preparing to report, Sir." One of the men answered.

Bale looked ready for murder. "I have an agent missing, and you were 'ready' to report? Report what, Charson? The Deatheaters are having a party over his carcass?" Bale turned to the other man. "Get everyone who was on that mission and have them in my office in five minutes. Do you understand?!"

"Yes, Sir." Both men answered in unison, then quickly disapparated.

Bale turned back to a very worried looking Charly. "You already know where he is." Charly stated in a deathly quiet whisper.

"No, Misser." Bale replied. "I know who has him. I have no idea 'where' he is. We haven't been able to locate the Deatheaters new lair yet."

Charly sat through the brief meeting in stoic silence, all the while mentally cursing his partner's stupidity. If Orion hadn't destroyed the lair, they would likely have already gotten to him by now. Had him safely out of the Deatheaters hands and back at the Ministry.

But they had no idea where the new lair was. Orion had screwed himself badly this time. It could take them days.....or weeks to find where he was.

If it even matter still by then.

If it even matter still now.

Charly still sat in his silence as the others filed out of the room. Finally the door closed as Bale stood next to him.

"We'll find him, Charly." The man promised. "This is everyone's top priority. We'll get him back."

Charly nodded mutely as he slowly got to his feet.

"Go home." Bale advised. "Get some rest. I'll let you know as soon as they bring him in."

Charly said nothing as he headed out the door. Bale could reassure him all he wanted. But Charly knew they were playing bad odds against this one. The chances of getting his partner back in one solid piece were small, and Bale knew it. Orion was at the top of the Deatheaters 'to do' list and had been for some time. He would be a prize they wouldn't give up easily.

Hurrying out of the office, Charly made it home in record time. Grabbing his wand he stood in the middle of a large open room and held the wand between his hands. Maybe Bale and his agents could prevail and get Orion back. But time wasn't on their side. And it was getting shorter with every passing second. Something had to be done, and it had to be done now. And Charly felt it was about time that having a Deatheater for a partner paid off for him.

"Treaks!" Charly called as he held the wand in a tight grip before him. Treaks would know where they had taken him. What they were planning to do with him. Treaks could get him freed.

The wand glowed slightly, then the light faded.

"Treaks!" Charly called again, sounding more desperate this time as he mentally was ticking off the seconds going against his partner.

The wand glowed again, then dimmed.

"Treaks!" Charly called one last time. But the results were exactly the same. The wand glow, then dimmed.

But still no Treaks.

A horrible sense of foreboding seized Charly. What if Treaks knew where his partner was? What if Treaks had been the Deatheater Orion went after? Then Treaks would not only know of his capture, but would have been responsible for it.

Charly gripped the wand tighter than ever.

Treaks had betrayed him.

Orion woke to the most unpleasant feeling in his right shoulder.

Ah. Dislocation. That was never a pleasant feeling, he told himself.

He had been in the hands of the Deatheaters for twelve hours, and they had certainly made the most of their time.

Not one part of his body that he could still feel didn't hurt. He had lost the feeling in his arms a long time ago as he recalled. Chained in a cell, he had been given just enough slack that he could kneel on the dirt floor. His body was suspended by his arms, which were chained above him on either side and pulled back slightly behind his body.

He could feel the caked cloth hanging on his torso, soaked as it was in his own blood and sweat, mixed with dirt and whatever else the Deatheaters had seen fit to throw at him in the past twelve hours. Most of which, by the smell alone, he didn't care to venture guessing at.

The worst of it was they had hung a Blocker around his neck, making it tight enough that he couldn't get it off himself. Normally the ministry would have been able to trace him in a matter of minutes. But Blockers made any magical tracing useless. And the ministry hadn't found a way yet to circumvent them. Finding him now could take hours, even days....if he was found at all. His best hope now was Bo. But for that he had to be left alone. Orion had no desire to ever tip that hand to the Deatheaters. To his knowledge, the Deatheaters knew nothing about the boggart, and Orion liked to keep it that way. Should they ever learn about him, Orion had no doubt Voldemort would stop at nothing to capture Bo and exploit the boggart's power for his own use.

That was a danger he simply couldn't put his friend in. No matter what.

The sound of footsteps down the corridor broke into his thoughts.

From the sounds of the voices Orion guessed four men were headed towards his cell. One of them unmistakably Treaks. Characteristically, Orion thought, the loudest.

Opening the door, the four gathered in a circle around him. For once the beatings didn't start right off, leaving Orion wondering what they had planned this time. But from the corner of his view he caught sight of a flash of metal.

A knife.

A long thin one.

Treaks took his position behind him, the long, sharp silver knife held in his hand. 

"What did you think, Auror?" He hissed in his captives ear. "That you luck would hold out forever?"

Orion made no attempt to even acknowledge he had heard the man, doing his best as it was to keep his mind off of how much pain he was already in. He knew from experience being in the hands of the Deatheaters was no picnic. But Treaks went at his work like a man with a score to settle.

A very personal one.

A hand grabbed his hair and forced his head back.

"Answer when a Deatheater speaks to you!" Treaks demanded.

"I am sorry." Orion forced out between swollen lips. "Did you say something?"

The hand that gripped his hair tightened as it pulled back harder, causing Orion to grit his teeth.

"Keep it up, Auror." Treaks sneered at him. "The longer you fight, the happier I am. I look forward to breaking you."

"Really, Treaks.' Orion hissed out between clenched teeth. "How do you expect Voldemort to keep getting you toys if you keep breaking them?"

"Somehow I doubt he'll be too angry when I bring him this one in pieces."

Orion could practically feel the man's smile as Treaks slowly stood back up. What he didn't like was that the death grip on his hair never let loose.

"You enjoy your little banter, don't you, Auror?" The Elite asked. "You think it makes you in control. Don't you!?" The last two words were nearly shouted as the hand gripping his hair gave a solid yank, forcing his head back further.

Orion had to congratulate the man. He had almost gotten a good yelp of pain out of him with that one. But instead he bit his teeth together tighter.

"Well," He managed to get out still, "someone has to be."

"And before the sun rises again, Auror, you are going to learn who that is."

"Oh, magic." Orion sighed forlornly. "Is that how long I'm going to have to listen to you prattle on about how much of a man you think you are?"

Orion felt the blade of the knife caress his throat.

"I look forward to all of the time we're going to spend together." The Deatheater stated. "And you will learn to respect the power of our dark lord."

"Power?" Orion managed a short, choked laugh. "Over a man beaten and still chained up? Can't say as I'm impressed so far."

A solid hand struck him across the face. He had almost forgotten the others in the cell.

"Scum!" One of the man before him screamed in his face. "How dare you speak such disrespect. Voldemort will reward us well for killing you."

Orion felt the hand wrap his hair tightly about it, again pulling his neck taunt as his head was yanked back.

"Are you prepared to die, Auror?" he heard Treaks whisper in his ear.

"If it shuts you up, go ahead." Orion replied, trying to keep the pain under control, not that he was sure it mattered much anymore. The men seemed determined to kill him, as was he always sure was their intention. And he had his doubts even Bo could help him out of this one, even though the Blocker the Deatheaters used to keep the Ministry from apparating their captured agents out of the Deatheaters hands would only keep the boggart at bay for a few hours, it was likely all the Deatheaters were going to need.

He could follow Treaks movements by the man's grip on his hair. He felt the Deatheater step behind him. Could feel the pull on his hair tighten. Could feel the man pull back for the downward strike with the knife.

It was the only surprise Treaks dealt him that night.

Instead of feeling the knife bury its way into his back, he felt the grip on his hair instantly loosen at the same moment he expected the pain to come.

A very satisfying Treaks stepped back around in front of him, his hand still wrapped tightly about his hair, now shorn off in the man's grip.

"Not yet, Auror." He stated in a voice that was pure hatred. "Not yet."

Three solid kicks left him barely conscience as the other filed out of the room, each taking their turn at him as they left. A loud clang of metal shook its way through his body as the door to his cell was slammed shut and he listened to the men leave, laughing as they discussed what to do with their prize.

Orion fought every minute to hold onto consciousness as he tried to sort out what to do next.

He should have called Bo from the beginning.

No. He quickly shook off the idea. Things were too confused then. Bringing Bo in would only have complicated them. Possibly even risk injury to his friend. But he had waited too long for the right opportunity, underestimating how quickly things would move. He never imagined the depths of Treaks hatred for him would lead the man to act so rashly. He was a prize catch. Captured before, he had gone days before anyone so much as threatened him. Voldemort had seen too much potential in learning the Ministry secrets through him than to allow anyone to so much as hit him. Not that his time there before had been any picnic either. He had had to ward off their interrogators for hours at a time as they tried to break down his defenses; mental, physical, and magical. But in the end they had made the one fatal error they always did.

They left him alone.

Then it was a simple matter to call Bo to get him out of the lair.

Within minutes he was safely home.

His predicament now, he was aware enough to know, was grave at best. He was in a Deatheater lair, no one likely knew where, in the hands of a man who absolutely hated him.

The day was not looking very promising.

Charly practically took the door down at Orion's house as he burst through it. He had a key. He knew all the spells and wards and how to get through them. But this was the fastest way to get the attention of who he wanted.

Almost as soon as he was through the door, a large black mass of robes came flying out of the cellar, banging the door against the hinges as it came and making a horrible racket. Anyone else would likely have not waited to see any more of the display and would probably have been halfway back to town at that point. But Charly stood his ground. He knew Bo too well to be taken in by the act.

Besides, he knew what was coming.

The mass of black material flew at him as though it intended to engulf its victim. But at the last second it pulled up and landed with an unimagined grace before the man.

As the material settled about its form, the boggart immediately took to bouncing in front of Charly, circling him as it did so. Watching the odd dance anyone else might have likened it to a large dog whose owner had just gotten home after a long day.

The truth of the matter was Bo absolutely loved Charly. Whenever Orion's best friend came over, the boggart positively shadowed him, like a child following its favorite family relative. Neither Charly nor Orion knew for sure exactly why the boggart had taken such a liking to the man. Orion had speculated it had something to do with Charly being mostly muggle. Bo had very few opportunities to interact with real muggles, and something about them just seemed to strike the right cord in the boggart.

Charly, usually giving the boggart the same attention one would an overly eager three year old begging for attention, this time only frowned at the display.

"Bo! Stop it!" Charly demanded.

The flurry of black robes suddenly came to a halt, as though whatever was animating them had abruptly come to an end. There was absolutely nothing natural about the transition of the movement.

"Bo, where is Orion?" He stated with a worried urgency in his voice.

The boggart seemed to consider the question, then went through a brief series of gestures.

"No, Bo." Charly countered, shaking his head. "He's not at the Ministry. He's not at the office. No one has seen him since we went on a raid early this evening. Do you understand?"

The boggart stared at the man before him without moving.

Charly sighed quietly. Orion knew exactly how to talk to the boggart. For Charly it was more of a challenge to get his point across.

"Bo, we went on a raid tonight."

The boggart made a quick gesture that Charly frowned at.

"I'm getting to that." He nearly yelled at the mass of black robes. "Just listen to me!"

The figure fell silent.

"Bo, we were after a group of Deatheaters tonight. Orion got separated from the others in the group. He went off after a Deatheater alone. When we came back to the Ministry, Orion didn't come with us. No one knows where he is."

The boggart seemed to consider the information, then made a slow gesture in front of him with his hand.

Charly shook his head. "Bo, he's not lost. I think Orion was captured....by some people who will hurt him, Bo. And they're going to hurt him a lot. Do you understand?"

The boggart made a series of quick gestures.

"I don't know where he is Bo. That's why I came here. I need you to find him."

The boggart fell absolutely still. Charly watched him for a few minutes, then went and sat on one of the foyer benches. He knew what was going on now. Bo was doing what he had asked. With his own innate power, which was more than Charly could even imagine, he was searching for his friend. The problem was, Bo was just a child really, working with an ability very few in the wizarding world wouldn't gladly kill to have control of. Perhaps Talon had truly found the best solution to how to deal with his 'family curse'. Put it somewhere no one else would think to look for it, where no one else could take it away, and give it the mind of a child.

The problem was, a child wasn't what Charly needed right now. He needed someone who could truly manipulate the Power. And the best person for that was Orion. Even Talon at times couldn't manipulate the Power as well as his son.

Charly thought of going to the elder Black for help. But that would take time. And there was no guarantee that Talon could do any better with the boggart than he was doing.

Charly watched the boggart for a few more minutes. Bo was best when left alone with a problem to work on. Bothering him simply broke his train of thought, and getting him back on board sometimes wasn't the easiest of tasks. So Charly decided to kill the time by going back to the office and seeing what was going on there. He could use a portkey and be back in about fifteen minutes tops. Maybe Bo would have something by then.

And besides, it was something to do.

Charly quickly got up and left, hurrying out to the end of the anti-apparation barriers.

As soon as the door closed, Bo's head suddenly came up. The call had struck him like a solid blow.

His friend was in danger. Bad danger. Just as Charly had said.

Without another seconds hesitation, the boggart vanished.

Katlin watched as the four men exited the lower levels of the lair. The levels where prisoners were kept. They were laughing and joking and fighting over something Treaks had in his hand. But she paid little attention to it. She was far more interested in the prisoner himself. The man had been brought in and taken to the lower levels so fast, few had even heard he had been brought in. But he was a prisoner. He should have been given to her first. Why was he given over to Treaks and his troop of idiots? Didn't Voldemort know that when they were done she likely wouldn't get anything out of the man anymore?

Waiting for the sounds of the laughing to die down in the distance, Katlin finally slipped from her hiding place and quickly slipped through the door to the lower levels of the lair.

Several flights later she found herself in some of the most distant areas of the prison. She made her way carefully along the row of cells, each one of them empty. It wasn't until she came to the very furthest one that she found what she was looking for.

It the last cell, hanging from chains by his wrists until he could just kneel on the dirt floor, was Treaks sport.

Bruised, bloody, cut and with more blood on him than Katlin felt was a good sign, she wasn't even sure the person was still alive.

"Who are you?" She asked in as demanding a tone as she dared, fearing someone else might hear her. But she wanted to make sure the person knew who was in charge.

The prisoner made no move to even answer her.

"Who are you?" She demanded again. "Answer when an Elite speaks to you."

The body in the cell moved slightly, as though trying to raise itself. Katlin felt an unexpected wave of relief rush through her to realize the person was still alive. But an abrupt choking sound caused her to question her assessment. The body lurched fitfully in its chains. If the person was alive, they didn't sound like they would be for long. A stream of blood sudden spilled between swollen, cracked lips onto the dirt floor before the body.

'What was Johnathan thinking!?' She angrily asked herself as she pulled out her wand. The prisoner was obviously important. Why did he show so little interest if the person choked to death on their own blood?

A quick spell and Katlin had the door to the cell open. Without much fear of attack, she rushed in and wrapped her hand under the person's jaw and tilted their head up.

That was the first look she got at the man before her. One that caused her to nearly drop her hold as he moaned in pain.

"Sier!"

An unexpected wave of emotion grabbed hold of her as Katlin stared down at the barely recognizable face.

What possible interest did Johnathan have in an Auror doctor?

Katlin quickly stabilized his head as he began to choke again. A shudder ran through his whole body and he began to cough. Barely enough to even get any air into his lungs. But it was a start.

Katlin quickly released the chains without thinking. The instant it was free of its support, the body collapsed against her, nearly knocking her back with its sheer dead-weight.

Katlin knew better than to lay him down. He probably had more blood in his lungs than in his veins at that point.

She had to do something. But what?

Leaving him to his fate quickly sprung into her mind. He was, after all, a prisoner of the Deatheaters. Of Lord Voldemort. That was his fate.

But he had saved her life. Saved her sight and kept her safe. Surely she owed him something for that.

And that's all it was, she firmly told herself. Obligation. A debt to repay.

Nothing more.

Katlin quickly moved Sier back in the cell until he was sitting with his back to the wall. She had never seen someone look so pale before. The man sat before her like a corpse. One that was struggling with every last ounce of strength left in it just to take each breath. The man was positively sucking air into his lungs. Likely there was probably more blood than air in them at that point.

Her assessing gaze quickly settled on the Blocker hung tightly about the man's neck. She tried several times to remove it, then finally used a releasing charm to get it off of him.

She gave his cheek a light slap. Anything to try and get a response.

"Come on, Sier." she whispered at him. "I need your help. I need to know how to get you out of here. Get you back to your home."

A soft sound echoed her. "Home."

"Yes." She eagerly encouraged him. "Home. How did I get you home? Where is that?"

The man seemed to take a stabilizing breath. One that rattled all the way down into his lungs. But the one word he gained by that didn't make any sense to her at all.

'Bo.' Was the best she could make out. But she didn't have long to try and sort it out. Without warning the stone walls about her wavered, and then vanished. An abruptly she found herself suddenly in the entranceway of a house. Two large gray stone pillars sat at the base of a staircase.

Instantly she became aware again of the man beside her. He was now on his back, trying desperately to roll himself over as he struggled to pull himself up to his knees. She tried to help, but he soon lost the battle and collapsed back to the hard stone floor with a moan of pain.

So who did one call to doctor a doctor?

Katlin was racking her brain for what to do when the man laying next to her moaned again. But this time it was more of a word than just a sound of pain. He said the word a bit sharper. Enough for her to make it out this time.

"Bo."

Before Katlin had time to wonder what the word meant, a tower of black material appeared next to them. The figure descended on the man next to her, all but shoving Katlin out of its way as the man's body all but disappeared into the layers of black material as the figure let out an anguished wail from under its hooded head. As she watched, a pale, blood covered hand reached up and placed itself against the creature's chest. Over several rasping coughs, the man spoke several soft words to it, which seemed to calm the creature down considerably as it listened attentively to what he said. After a few moments, the creature pulled back and with slow, careful movements, helped the man unsteadily to his feet keeping him nearly obscured from view as he wrapped the black cloaked material about the shaking body.

Katlin tried desperately to help as well, but the man gently eased her back.

"Let him handle this." He told her past several strained breaths. "Stay or leave. Whatever you wish."

And with that Katlin suddenly found herself standing in the foyer alone. The words under other circumstances might have sounded a bit harsh they were so short and sharp. But Katlin knew the effort it took for him to say anything at all, let alone group words together. He was only giving enough to get his point across. Minimum effort was the best he could manage.

Turning to where he had been laying, Katlin noticed the tiles of the foyer were now smeared with blood. A frightening testimony to the last few minutes. Katlin pulled out her wand and quickly removed any trace of the blood. She didn't want to have to look at it.

Unsure of what else to do, she finally seated herself on one of the foyer benches and waited.

For what seemed like hours to him Orion passively allowed the boggart to poke and prod and do what he could to make even just a little of the pain go away. But not overly much to his surprise, when the boggart finally pulled back and stood silently next to the bed, it didn't hurt nearly as much to take a breath and a considerable amount of the pain was indeed gone.

With a relieved sigh Orion gratefully let his body sink into the mattress beneath him. It actually felt good now to have the cool sheets beneath his skin.

A wave in the air next to him attracted his attention. The boggart made a series of gestures, to which Orion finally gave a tired nod.

"I'm much better now, Bo. You did very well."

The black robes descended on him as the boggart gave a soft trill as he enveloped the man in his arms.

Orion gave a small smile as he let the boggart nearly smother him. Bo was a three-year-old in ever sense of the word. And more than ever in how he expressed himself.

But slowly Orion attempted to push the boggart back as something nudge him in the back of his mind.

Katlin! Where was she? Bo had left her in the foyer the last he remembered.

Orion gave another tired sigh as he turned back to the boggart as it pulled back.

"Bo." He asked past a slight cough. "The woman who came here with me? Did she stay or leave?"

"The 'woman'," a soft voice from the end of the bed answered him, "chose to stay."

Orion turned his attention to the voice.

Standing at the end of the bed, Katlin was watching the proceedings with a bemused smile.

A small smile managed to show itself over cracked and swollen lips. "And the man is very happy she did." Orion barely replied.

He watched with pure pleasure as she moved about to the side of the bed and gracefully seated herself on the edge.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been tortured half to death in a Deatheater prison."

A gentle smile rewarded his effort to get out the whole sentence. "Well, you'll be pleased to know that would be correct then." She answered.

Orion winched slightly against an unexpected sharp pain in his shoulder.

He half expected her to jump back, but instead Katlin reached forward and laid her hand against his shoulder with a slight pressure. Almost instantly the pain disappeared.

Katlin noted his surprised look as he gingerly tested the shoulder.

"My mother was a healer." She told him quietly. She fell silent for a moment as she pulled back, sitting now straight backed with her hands resting in her lap. "It's been ages since I've used my gift. And I'm not very good with it anymore even. I healed a few of your cuts. A few bruises. But that was all Icould do."

Orion gave her a small smile. "Feel free to practice on me all you want." He answered. "Because the walking laundry pile behind you isn't that good either."

A slight huff answered his comment as the material in front of Bo's face wavered slightly on the breath.

Orion sank back into the bed with a soft sigh, then slowly opened his eyes as he looked around him.

"How did I even get here?" He asked finally, closing his eyes again.

"Don't you know?" Katlin asked, genuinely confused.

Orion shook his head. "I don't remember much."

"You were in the cell, in the lair, when I first saw you. I thought for a moment you were dead. You certainly looked it."

Orion looked around again. "But how did I get here?"

Katlin brushed a stray bit of hair back from his face. A touch Orion simply bask in the feeling of.

"I don't know myself really." Katlin told him. "I found you in the cell."

Orion opened one un-swollen eye and looked at her. "You did?"

"I knew Johnathan had a prisoner." She explained. "By regulations, you should have been turned over to me first. I am Voldemort's chief interrogator. But Johnathan did everything he could to keep you hidden. I wanted to see what he considered so valuable he was hiding it from everyone else."

"You would have been more fun." Orion choked out.

"How can you joke about this?" She cried. "Do you understand? They were going to kill you. They almost succeeded."

"And you're a Deatheater." Orion reminded her. "Why did you care?"

"I told you. Johnathan was hiding something. I wanted to know what it was."

"So you found out. Why not just leave me?"

Katlin paused before answering, one that went on longer than she intended as she searched for an answer she wanted to give him.

"You saved my life once." She answered finally. "I felt it was fair to return the favor."

Unexpectedly Katlin suddenly found herself grabbed behind the neck and pulled into a kiss she would have bet anything she had the man wasn't capable of and was equally sure cost him severely in pain. But as she slowly pulled back, a warm smile was all that greeted her.

"Now again," he asked quietly, "why did you bother saving me?"

Katlin searched as best she could for the words to answer him, but finally gave up as she instead slipped willingly back into him arms, her lips quickly finding his again in an equally gentle but passionate kiss.

For the next several days Orion simply bask in the sheer pleasure of Katlin's very capable care. As the time went by, she grew more and more confident of her lost ability and she soon was managing very advanced heal spells on him, all designed to lessen his pain as much as possible.

She would leave for periods of time, explaining she had to check in at the lair and see what was going on. After all, a highly prized prisoner had escaped without explanation as to how. Voldemort was bound to be looking for anything suspicious to point to a guilty party. Her not being there would be just what he was looking for.

While Katlin was gone for a few hours each day, Orion was forced to submit himself to the care of his house elves and Bo. The boggart, while never seeming to do much, Orion knew was doing everything he could to heal the injuries to his body. Spending several hours a day by his bed, Orion could feel what healing magic the boggart knew working to mend what damage it could. Coupled with Katlin's work, the two were doing a remarkably good job of mending him.

That first day Katlin had left, Charly had come by. By pure luck they didn't manage to cross paths.

Charly had been as happy as Katlin had been to see his partner alive. A flurry of questions and resisting offers and demands to take him to St. Andrews had left Orion so worn out that by the time Katlin arrived back that night he was sound asleep and didn't wake again until the next morning. But Orion had used Charly's visit to send messages back to the Department. Assuring everyone he was all right. He also had Charly severely downplay the extent of his injuries. All he needed or wanted was time alone. Bo and Tets were taking perfect care of him. All he really wanted was just peace and quiet.

After that first visit, Orion left strict orders with Bo that he was only to have one visitor in his room at a time, no matter the circumstances.

That would preclude Charly and Katlin ever accidentally bumping into each other. Something he just wasn't up to at the moment.

As for Katlin's visits, Orion made sure Bo understood she was not to have free run of the house as before. She was to be watched very carefully and kept in certain areas only. Every possible picture of himself or any member of his family were removed. Every possible precaution was taken to ensure that not even the smallest clue remained to expose the truth behind the lie he was living.

Katlin did her best to keep everything as peaceful and ordered around Sier as she could. But back at the lair things were far from peaceful or ordered. They were, in fact, highly suspicious to her. She expected Voldemort to be all but cursing people in the corridors in his search for the guilty party that had helped the prisoner escape. At the very least she had expected Johnathan's ire to be raised. The prisoner had been in his custody. But to her surprise, Voldemort seemed utterly unaware anything at all was amiss. And Johnathan didn't seem eager to bring the matter up. All in all, there wasn't so much as a word mentioned of the escape.

But Katlin found she didn't have long to ponder the situation.

Although Johnathan's visit came as no real surprise to her, that hadn't kept her from dreading it just the same. Mentally she had been ticking off the days. He had given her one month to prepare for their wedding. And that time was almost up. It was inevitable he would bring it up again as the time approached. Especially when Katlin herself seemed to be doing close to nothing to prepare for the blissful day.

"Katlin, we need to talk." Johnathan announced as he all but barged into her room one late afternoon at the lair. In truth Katlin was just finishing up her time at the lair and was eager to get on her way back to check on Sier. Every day brought with it one single motivating factor in her life now. To complete what she had to during the day and get back to the nearly ravenous affection that was waiting for her return.

With each passing day Sier's condition was improving, and tonight she was hoping to spend some time with him as more than just his nursemaid. He was up to the point that it seemed he was always attempting to cop a feel if she ever got too close. Some small intimate grab that she was evading less and less these days. Each one only serving to arouse her that much more, then failing to deliver any relief for her own growing needs.

The man had definitely been playing with fire the last few days.

But tonight she had promised him a soothing therapeutic massage that she planned would leave him anything but 'soothed'.

And now Johnathan seemed determined to delay her that much longer.

"How dare you!" She fired back at him in irritation. "How dare you barge into my rooms as though I were some lower ranking person."

Johnathan met her attack with a nearly genuine smile. "Katlin, our wedding is in just a few days. We need to be making plans."

"Plans?" Katlin stated in disbelief. "It's a wedding, Johnathan. Not a covert mission. There is very little that needs planning."

"Very little?" He asked in astonishment. "Katlin, it is our wedding. We need to have plans for it.'

Katlin aimed herself for the door, brushing past the man attempting to block her path.

"Then make them." She stated. "I am sure whatever you decide will be acceptable."

Johnathan barely managed to grab hold of her as she pushed past him. "Where are you going to?" He asked.

Katlin turned about and met his stare with a hard, cold one of her own. "What business is that of yours?"

"As your future husband, a great deal." Johnathan stated, but quickly softened his tone. "It's late, Katlin. I'm concerned where you might be going."

Katlin didn't bother to return the smile or the false sentiment behind it. "I'm going to see a friend." She didn't lie. "A sick friend."

Johnathan had to practically physically restrain himself from pressing her further. He had come with one end in mind. To make sure she wasn't going to get out of the wedding. To remind her of how short the time was and assess if she was trying to manipulate anything as a way out of it. But here she was presenting him with something new. He bit back the almost painful need to try and find out where she was going, and replaced his questions with a simple smile.

"When will you be back?" He asked.

"Tomorrow."

Johnathan didn't try to hold on as she wrenched her arm out of his grasp and all but stormed out the door.

She had gotten her dig in at him, and it had been quite successful. She had told him nothing concrete, but had raised his suspicions to a fever pitch. She wasn't retuning to the lair until tomorrow. It could be a perfectly innocent statement. She was going to see her friend, then go home.

But he doubted it.

More likely she was returning to the lair tomorrow because she was never leaving her friend's house that night.

Fortunately for him there was no one in the hall when he left Katlin's room. Or perhaps better, fortunate for anyone else in the lair. Johnathan was at that point just looking for someone to vent his frustration on. But lacking a target, he simply stormed off down the corridor. Eventually, inevitable, he would come across someone.

Katlin hurried down the corridor. Not simply because she was running late getting to see Sier, but she didn't want to risk Johnathan following her.

The man was getting far too possessive.

Katlin's hurried steps paused at the thought and she found herself suddenly redirecting her path into a side corridor.

A few days!

How was she going to get out of this. Johnathan was pressing the issue this time. She wouldn't be able to simply side step the matter again. He was staying on her like a bloodhound. Not letting her forget.

Maybe she could go to Voldemort. Maybe he would listen to her. The marriage was a bad idea. Johnathan didn't love her. He loved her position. Her power. Voldemort was going to condemn her to something worse than she could ever imagine.

Katlin sighed quietly to herself. No. That wouldn't work. Voldemort wouldn't listen to her. If Johnathan was manipulating the situation as well as he was, backing her into a corner on things, then he had already presented his own case to Voldemort, who had found merit in it and given him the right to move forward with things.

More than likely she would be patted on her head and told she had cold feet and to go to bed and think things over.

At this point Voldemort would no more call off the wedding than Johnathan would.

How to stop it?

There had to be a way.

She wasn't desperate enough to just leave. That would be to give Johnathan his victory a thousand times over. Not only would he finally get what he wanted out of this whole facade, but he would have managed in the process to run her off as well. And she would never abandon her people simply because of an unpleasant situation. She had stood beside them in battles were the odds were no doubt against them. She would walk up to an altar if she had to to prove her loyalty to them.

No. There had to be another way.

Something permanent. She didn't want just another excuse to delay things. This answer had to be permanent. It had to last. It had to stand up on its own against Johnathan's ire once he learned she had managed to find some way to stop him for good this time.

But what? What short of her own death could stop him now?

Katlin smiled to herself. That was what Kristen had always interpreted marriage as in her opinion. Death. The younger woman had always firmly stated she would never marry. No man was worth that in her eyes.

Katlin had felt much the same way back then. That had been her main drive at first in evading Johnathan's proposal. She simply didn't want to get married. But quickly she had seen the man for what he was, and her dislike for the institution was quickly replaced by her abhorrence to the man himself.

And now it seemed she was going to be tied to him for the rest of her life. Unless she thought of a solution soon.

Katlin sighed again. Sier was going to be asleep before she got there at this rate.

She would have to put her problems to rest for now and think about them later. Best to focus on the moment instead.

Or better, then night ahead.

Katlin checked the corridor several yards in either direction with her wand before stepping out of her alcove and hurried for the entrance to the lair so she could disapparate. From there she would go to a location where she had a portkey waiting for her that she used in emergencies when she wanted to make sure she couldn't be followed. It would take her to another location, where she would apparate to one more area where Sier had placed a portkey for her to use to get to his house.

She never questioned him on where the house actually was. She didn't much care. All that matter to her at the moment was that she could get there.

Katlin quickly found her thoughts slipping more and more onto the path of what lay ahead for her that night. Sheer bliss, wrapped in the arms of a man she had only know for a few weeks. One who obviously loved her. Proved it to her every night she was with him. From the first night she had spent with him. One who the next morning had................!

Katlin skidded to a halt.

What had Sier said to her the first time she had stayed the night with him? What had he said that morning before she left?

Katlin's mind worked furiously over the scene again, pulling the fragmented memory of conversation they had had from her mind.

A small smile began to creep over her lips.

She needed a solution to her problem with Johnathan.

A permanent one.

What had Sier said to her that morning? What had his words alluded to? What had he offered her?

'It never had to end.'

That was what he had said. It never had to end if she didn't want it to.

Katlin abruptly started down the corridor again, this time all but running to get out of the lair as quickly as possible.

She had an escape.

She had a permanent escape from Johnathan.

How could the man marry her.........if she were already married.

Orion laid in his bed staring intently at the ceiling. He was up to the 3500's in small dots he had managed to count up there to take his mind off of Katlin's impending visit. She had made a nearly down right lewd offer of a therapeutic massage the last time she had left, promising him he had never had anything like the one she would give him on her next visit...unless he had paid extra.

The tantalizing idea had kept him occupied all day as various possibilities treated him to one erotic fantasy after another. And the longer she took in getting there that night, the more frayed his nerves were getting.

But finally he heard the door open downstairs and with great anticipation counted each step as she came up the stairs and down the corridor towards his room.

When she finally came in the door, he greeted her with open arms and an enthusiastic "Ready!"

But his enthusiasm quickly waned as it met with a very stoic Katlin, who entered the room and slowly walked over to his bed.

"What's wrong, Love?" He asked as he watched her set her things on the chair near the foot of his bed.

Katlin turned to him with such a forced smile it was all he could do not to call her on it.

"Nothing's wrong, Sier." She replied in an equally forced, calm voice. "Some days are just longer than others. Today was a very long day."

Orion favored her with a small smile as he held his hand out to her, which she gratefully took and let him easily lead her over until she sat by his side on the bed.

"I'm sorry your day wasn't better." He told her. "Tell me what I can do to help."

Katlin gave him a small, sad smile. "I'm suppose to be here to help you." She replied.

"So this is pay back. What's wrong?"

One thing Orion had noted early on since he was back with Katlin, was that in this new relationship, she was much more relaxed. Much more open with him. No matter how he had tried to ignore it before, she was always just a little guarded against him. Seemingly never 100% sure of things...or of him. But now she was more relaxed and at ease than he had ever known her to be.

Except for tonight.

Her answer was far from anything he expected.

"Sier, you asked me once why I was with the Deatheaters. Do you remember that?"

Orion nodded slightly. "You said it was for the security they offered you."

"And you said you could give me that same security."

Orion felt his breath get lost somewhere in his throat. Where was she planning to go with this? But he quickly mentally shook the thought off. He was letting his mind wander too much.

"You also said that night was all there was too it." He reminded her gently.

"And you said it didn't have to be."

Orion felt his mouth go suddenly dry, and his mind took off wandering again down one of its favorite paths. "And it doesn't." He whispered.

A small smile crept across her lips as she stared down at him. "That's a very lofty promise, doctor. How do you plan to keep that?"

All that he ever loved in her Orion could still see in those eyes. Wrapping a hand up under her hair, he pulled her down to him and placed a soft, gentle, loving kiss on her lips.

"Marry me." He whispered.

The answer caressed his lips before she placed her's over them again.

"Yes."

****

Q&A

nessie:

No, no, Dear. Not 130 words a minute. 130 words a minute off the top of my head. If you put a paper in front of me with words on it and say, 'Type that', I promptly fall to about 35. But if I have a scene in my head and I want to type it out, then 130 words a minute. With multiple errors, I will admit.

Long hair will get me every time. You'll notice most of my male characters sport a nice mane of long hair. Just something about it.

The character you're describing, Dear, sounds like Gambit of the X-Men. Used to enjoy that story, until it started getting incredibly dark. But PAR also liked Gambit very much. Something about the accent.

One thing you'll note in most of these stories is my male characters have an almost un-natural attachment to their hair. And if there is ever a Sirius/Baby Harry story, I guarantee the kid is going to get a handful of it at some point.

Silverfox:

Don't get me wrong, Dear. I love long reviews. It's like PAR getting to read a little story in return.

And clocking in at 21 pages, I hope you have something to say about this one.

Especially with all the nice continuity errors PAR handed out this time. If you can't find them then I'm doing a better job of covering my arse than I thought.

Let's face it, Dear. Our boy isn't thinking too far into the future. And after this chapter's ending, I think he's hit a record short time frame. He's just agreed to marry a woman he is one; lying to, two; has under a memory charm, three; is lying to, four; hasn't even told her his last name, and last but not least, five; is lying to. Now, what do you think poor Katlin is going to do if she ever remembers who he actually is?

Sure! Send that cyber chocolate right on down the pike. PAR loves chocolate, so her computer must like it too.

What could Sirius do to Harry if left alone with him? You're fishing in the wrong pond, Dear. And no, not a werewolf or a vampire.

Hmmmm, now there's an interesting question to ponder. Which of the Black brother's is the more rash? Sirius or Orion? Tough question that. Although I will say that ever since fatherhood walked up and slapped Orion in the face, he's gotten much better.

Men...more logical.....? Phffffffffffffft!

Hey! That sounds like where I work, technical-wise. Most things are referred to simply as Pointing at object 'That thing over there'. If you need a more detailed explanation? 'Its that thing over there that does that stuff'. More detailed? 'Its that thing over there that does that stuff when you enter that code'. Everyone in PAR's workplace nods knowingly

I believe we came up with the word 'child' as to not have to call them a 'person'.

Well, Katlin described the family best. "You're an Auror. Your brother is an Auror. Your father is an Auror. Your mother is an Auror. You come from a long line of aurors." But Arianna Black is an interesting woman. She's kind of a 'Mother-Earth' figure....when there's a hurricane brewing. Let's face it, what sort of woman would you have to be to be married to Talon? And the mother of two sons like Sirius and Orion?

Lays head on the desk Just because, Dear.

OK, seriously, you have to look at the Power from a lot of angles sometimes. True, the power has not split yet. What is split is it's potential. And, no, Sirius hasn't 'tapped into' the Power yet. But he has the potential, Dear, and that was what was spilt between the two brothers. And that small little thing means a great deal when trying to tap into the full potential of the Power. Orion, as a channeler but not a host, can not tap completely into the Power because all of that ability did not transfer to him. Part of it went to his brother. It is also the main reason Orion can't be a host. He hasn't got all the right parts, so to speak. I hesitate to say its a 'gene thing', Dear. Especially since the Power will recognize 'non-genetic' family members (Bo). But the Power recognized Bo because it's host allowed it to, or, more accurately, 'told' it to. It does not recognize Orion or his brother as a potential host because neither of them has everything it is looking for. That is what Talon did by having two sons. He deprived the Power of one full-blooded male family member. Now the question comes up, what would happen if Orion and Sirius were willing to work together to manipulate the Power? This comes up in, and is a large part of the plot, of Family Relations.

"WAIT! WAIT!" Hand goes up in the back "You said last time the power would recognize Sirius as a potential host. Now you're saying he can't be a host at all."

Shut up and sit down!

OK, true, the Power would recognize Sirius as a potential host. But he could never use the Power effectively. That's very important to the over-all story. He can never yield the power effectively without Orion's help. The fact the Power would recognize him means very little. It recognizes people coming down the hall too, folks. But it would recognize them as 'family', 'non-family', or 'potential'.

Hand goes up again "Ummmmm, you indicated last time that Harry could be a host if the Power recognized him. How is that possible based on what you just said?"

Because I'm the author. Shut up and sit down.

Actually, I said something there I shouldn't have. Little tooooooooo much information this early in the game.

Now, Dear, is any of this helping? Or am I just confusing you more?

Orion's parents love him very much. They kinda question his reasoning skills sometimes. But they love him.

My, my, my, but someone has put an awful lot of thought into that next part.

Voldemort's assumptions? Ohhhhh, all right (). I'll give you a gold star for that. You were right on almost every point. And the part you were wrong on was minor. Voldemort, in fact, knows very little about the Power itself. The rest you had pretty much spot on. Oh, and there are no 'records' here, sorry. This is pretty much an 'observation only' class. It isn't like the Blacks keep journals about this thing.

No one knows about Bo outside of the family, Dear, except Charly and, sort of, Katlin. And neither of them really knows all there is to Orion's enigmatic boggart. Trust me, old Bo still has a few tricks up his sleeve. And he's not as harmless as he seems. Nor as innocent.

OK. Another thing to straighten out. Lets time line this thing. Currently, we are just about at the time when the stuff hits the fan, folks. Now, Orion and Charly are already Unspeakables. Unspeakables came into being in the war with Voldemort. A war we are told very little about, except that it seemed to come to a rather abrupt end with Voldemort's defeat by little baby Harry. Hence, this war before that time must have been an ongoing thing. Or so I figure. So I look at it this way. Severus was working for Voldemort, he stopped, he is now working for Dumbledore. A bit ahead of things? Maybe. But we were never told when Snape stop being a Deatheater and came to work for Dumbledore. Or at least, not that I recall. Feel free to mess things up for me.

How many parties are involved in this? PAR thinks for a minute Three.

How many parties think they are involved in this? Seven.

How many parties are involved in this and don't even know it, despite they are the main reason for the whole mess to begin with? One.

OK. Points for you and points for me here. True, it is very likely, having gotten his son out of Slytherin amid threats of turning a certain hat into window washing rags, Talon was not keen on letting his little pride and joy use the first wand. Point for your side.

Orion would have indeed gotten his first wand before he went to school. But he also became Bo's channeler before they went to Diagon Alley. And Orion was pouring his poor little eleven year old 'but I've never been away from home before for this long' heart out to his friend sometime after he got his acceptance letter and before they went shopping for school supplies. So he was a channeler before he got his first wand. Not something you would have known, but hey! Tough! Point for my side.

Bo isn't exactly 'in his head', Dear. In fact, Bo knows very little of what goes on with Orion unless Orion calls him, as evidenced in this chapter. The person Bo is constantly connected to is his host, Talon. Or he was, until Talon gave him a body of his own. Remember that the Power was passed on 'from host to host'. So it had to be a physical part of its host.

OK. The wand thing really is a lot more complicated than I care to go into right now. But know these facts to simply be true.

1. Orion has his original wand. That is the one he uses.

2. Charly has Orion's second wand.

3. Orion's first wand is more closely connected to Bo. And there's a really good reason for that, which goes back to the question, when the sorting hat sorted Orion into Slytherin, who was it sorting? Orion or Bo?

4. Lastly, if I said differently, I apologize. But Charly does NOT draw his magic off of the Power. Not directly. He draws off of Orion, which was stated in the story itself.

Keep in mind, Orion is just a channeler, not a host. He can call on the Power, he can even use it. What he can not do is control it.

Yes, Dear, you do seem to like thinking about Sevi.

Skahducky:

Don't assume, dear. It can be dangerous.

now with that said, let's 'suppose' Katlin gets her memory back. Folks, this is a scene I would love to write. Orion, Katlin, and Dumbledore in a room. Dumbledore removes the memory charm, then quickly exits the room, slamming and locking the door behind him.

Bo himself could likely not come up with anything as frightening as what that man would be facing from down the business end of a wand. No less than 67 different emotions, and not one of them good.

HA! FINALLY I'm ahead of you guys!

Got this all covered.

Yes indeed, Katlin sees 'someone' in her dreams. But it was stated in the story the face of the person was never clear. Believe me, the point you just made is why it was written that way.

However, this brought up ANOTHER problem along similar lines. Katlin knows she had an 'affair' with an Auror, that to her was no more than a mission she was completing. She knows it was with Orion Black. She couldn't block that out because, due to Johnathan's interference, too many people knew and someone may inadvertently mention it in front of her. But she views it with an 'Well, that was fun' attitude, as she does most of her missions she must take to that level of intimacy to get what she wants out of the person. She knows what Orion Black looks like.

Trust me, some VERY serious fast footwork was needed to get around this. It is, in fact, the whole reason Capture was even written.

How did I get around this?

First off, the first time Orion saved Katlin was in Control-Part One. And yes, she clearly saw him. That started my whole problem, you see.

The second time, she never saw him. Someone deflected a spell aimed at her. But she never saw who.

The third time was in the restaurant, and Johnathan kept her from getting a good look at him, as did Charly.

The next time Katlin got a good look at him, he had changed his appearance by changing his hair length. Trust me. That makes a BIG difference. Especially if you're not trying to make the connection.

After that, he kept his hair short whenever he saw her to perpetuate the illusion he was someone else.

In this chapter, Treaks made it permanent.

If you go Continuity Error hunting in the chapters Thirty through Forty-One, I'm sure you'll find some based on this one subject. But I'm warning you, I have my trusty Acme Loophole Starter Kit right here by my computer.

What are Charly and Johnathan exactly suppose to be doing? I wondered when someone was going to ask this question. The sad part is, I can't really tell you much more than I already have. So, simply to reiterate, their goal in life is to keep Orion alive. (Believe it or not.) Now granted, Charly is a little more dedicated to this goal than Treaks, but Treaks sort of has his own agenda, and working for the wizard in the north just kinda fits into his plans right now. But trust me, keeping Orion alive is the stepping stone of a much grander plan.

And yes, they do spy on their respective sides for the wizard in the north. But the whole reason for that Katlin laid out in Chapter Fifteen. If you have three parties in a war, how do you win? You get two of them to fight. How do you get them to do the most damage to each other? Keep the playing field level.

Why are they working together? You consider their relationship working together? Well, in all fairness, they're suppose to be. But for all his bravado, poor Charly really is a bit naive in this respect. Treaks works with him when it suits him. Other than that, as I said, Treaks has his own agenda.

All reviews are as of 05122004.

And remember:

Bobbitt Tavern - Have a few too many and we'll cut you off.


	51. Chapter FortyTwo: The Morning After

A/N: Just a few words, folks. I know the last chapter may have read a bit confusing because there appeared to be no breaks in the paragraphs to indicate change of scene or view point.

All I can say is, they were there when I up loaded the chapter, guys. Where they went only Fanfiction.Net knows.

Most confusing was that all my asterisks disappeared, which left me.....asterisk-less.

I do apologize, however, and hope it wasn't too confusing. I am trying to warn you in a less subtle way this time and hopefully Fanfiction.Net will solve the problem soon.

And folks, I don't know if I've mentioned it or not, but if not, it's time to 'fess up. The cap's on my keyboard is going funny. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it don't. So bare with me while I try to fix the one I have or get a new keyboard.

Disclaimer: Phfffffffffffffffft! Yeah. Right.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: THE MORNING AFTER

The next morning Orion woke to find himself curled up against the warm body next to him and feeling better than he had in several days.

But even those feelings paled when he remembered the ones from the night before.

Engaged.

He had asked her to marry him and she had accepted.

They were engaged.

Orion gave a happy, contented sigh at the thought as he hugged the body next to him a bit tighter.

But as Katlin stretched out in his embrace, then relaxed back into sleep, a new thought entered his blissful world that caused his eyes to suddenly snap open.

Engaged.

He was engaged to be married.

He was going to marry a woman who had no idea who he really was. Who he had lied to about his entire life right down to his name.

A sudden panic seized him as Orion thought how he could best handle the situation. He couldn't keep lying to her. Married to him she would eventually find out the truth.

He had to think of something.

And fast!

But as his brain searched frantically for an answer, his search was cut short by a voice next to him.

"Now that's a much too serious look for this hour of the morning."

Orion's gaze flew to the bright violet eyes staring up at his. He quickly amended his expression into a pleasant smile.

"That's better. Now what had you with that look this early?" Katlin ask. "Or are you already thinking about the wedding, which I would hope would not put such a look on your face?"

Orion managed to keep the smile. "Not at all." He stated. "I was just thinking about some things at work."

"Well," she stated with a genuine smile, "can you forget work for a few minutes?"

Orion folded her into his arms as she leaned over him. "Depends what else you have in mind."

Katlin shrugged. "Oh, I don't know."

Orion pulled her tighter to him. "Can I make a suggestion then?" He ask hopefully.

Katlin swatted his nose. "I know your suggestion." She stated. "And you should be ashamed of thinking such thoughts."

"Really?"

Katlin grinned down at him. "Well, maybe not entirely. But I think,' she added, stretching out over his body, "we should at least make a few plans for the wedding. Like 'when'."

"Soon." Orion answered before his brain could stop him.

Katlin smiled. "I like that day." She agreed. "And if we're getting married, Mr. Doctor, I need a last name."

"Last name?"

Katlin giggled at him again. "Well, I can't very well be Mrs. Doctor, now can I?"

Sounded reasonable to him. "Why not?"

Katlin gave him a patronizing smile. "Sier." She purred. "This is serious. We're getting married."

Orion was about to come up with some wonderful delaying tactic when a tower of black robes materialized at the foot of the bed.

Orion all but threw Katlin off of him as he sat up. For her part, Katlin quickly rolled over and snatched the sheets tightly in front of her.

"Does he always just appear like that?" She ask with a deep frown.

"Not unless its important." Orion half-answered her. "What is it, Bo?"

The boggart quickly made several gestures in front of him.

"Charly?!"

Katlin turned to Orion's alarmed voice. "Whose Charly?"

"He's my partner." Orion blurted out, again, before his brain could stop him.

"Partner?"

"Medical partner." Orion quickly amended. "But Love, I need you to leave."

"Leave?" Katlin ask in irritation. "Why?"

"Because Love," Orion answered, his brain working fast to construct something believable, "my partner is a bit of a fanatic about my health. So he can't see me out of bed. And he can't see you in bed with me. So please, just.....go with Bo. He'll take care of you and bring you back when I'm done talking to my partner. All right?"

"But Sier......?"

"Love," Orion said, pulling her into a quick kiss, "just do this for me. Just.....go with Bo, please?"

Katlin still protested being sent off. "I feel like something you're hiding." She stated.

"And currently you are." Orion replied. "Now look, go with Bo now, and when you came back, we'll discuss that last name you feel are so important, all right?"

Katlin's face lit up at the suggestion. "You promise!?"

"I swear." Orion replied. At that moment he would have promised her just about anything if it got her out of the room before Charly charged the stairs.

Katlin still managed a slight frown as she climbed out of the bed, folding a robe about her as she went to stand next to the gathering of black material. She turned once more to face the man sitting in the bed.

"I hope someday you won't feel you have to hide me from your friends."

"Me too, Love." Orion replied truthfully. Turning quickly to Bo he added. "You take care of her, Bo. And you do just like I've told you, all right?"

The boggart nodded and slowly offered a robe covered arm to Katlin.

Staring at the pre-offered arm, Katlin turned her eyes slowly back to Orion.

"You'll be perfectly safe." He assured her again. "Bo knows how to treat you."

Katlin paused briefly, then finally laid her hand on the boggart's arm.

Abruptly they both vanished.

Orion sighed to himself as he quickly covered all evidence of Katlin's having been there. Within seconds of his finishing, a knock sounded on the door and Tets loudly announced himself.

"Master!" The little elf all but shouted. "I is bringing a guest, master. I's is bringing Mr. Misser in now, Master. We is coming in now."  
Orion rolled his eyes as he shook his head as the door slowly opened. He couldn't fault the little elf. And he was in truth thankful Tets was being as cautious as he was, making sure Katlin was gone before allowing Charly into the room.

But for all of his efforts, poor Tets found himself nearly shoved through the door as Charly lost patients with the delays.

"What is wrong with you, Tets?" Charly demanded, turning back to the little house elf. "Orion knows its me. You're not announcing the Minister of Magic here."

Charly had been to see Orion several times already since he had escaped the Deatheaters. And each time he had managed to miss Katlin completely. Mostly this was attributed to the fact that Charly came during the day when Katlin was at the lair, or arrived early in the evening before her. All in all Orion had been incredibly lucky the two had not run into each other even by accident. Today was the closest they had come, and Orion had a system already in place just in case. One that had worked to perfection.

Lying in the bed, Charly's enthusiasm was met by a slight wave and a tired smile from his partner.

Orion had, after all, not gotten a lot of sleep the night before.

****

(Change of view point.)

Downstairs in the den where Bo had taken her, Katlin was trying her best to occupy her time. But the towering mass of black robes that kept a constant watch on her was making her increasingly nervous. No matter where she went in the room, the figure turned with her, following her about the room.

Katlin finally turned back to the figure as it pulled up to a stop behind her. Sier had told her the creature wouldn't hurt her, and she believed him. But it was un-nerving just the same to have someone follow you about.

"So," she ask, "do you talk at all?"

The creature simply stood staring down at her, saying nothing.

"You talk to Sier. Are hand gestures all you can do?"

To her utter surprise, the hooded head nodded. She hadn't actually expected an answer. Questioning the creature was just a way to pass the time for her. But this opened up a whole new level of possibilities for her on how to pass her time.

"So, how long have you been with Sier?" She ask.

The creature paused for a moment, then held its robe-covered hands up with a small space between them.

"Not very long?"

The creature nodded.

"And what exactly are you?"

The creature made no move.

"Oh. Right." Katlin reminded herself. 'The questions have to be 'yes' or 'no' answers pretty much?"

The hooded head again nodded.

"Well, you're magical." She reasoned. "You helped heal Sier, and you apparated me down here from upstairs."

The creature nodded.

"Is that all you can do?"

The creature shook its head.

'Well," Katlin prompted him, "what else can you do?"

The creature clasp its hands together in an unmistakable sign of joy, a soft trill coming from under its hood.

Just as Katlin was beginning to think that was it, the creature suddenly spread out its arms, its head lifted and its faced turned towards the ceiling. Instantly the whole room erupted into chaos. Katlin dove for the floor as furniture, papers, books, and wall hangings flew about her. The entire room looked like a small tornado had suddenly sprung up in the middle of it.

As she chanced to look up, Katlin suddenly realized that for all of the chaos around her, the area she stood in with the creature remained utterly untouched. Not even the air around them was disturbed. Within a few minutes the whole of the room was utterly destroyed. The creature lowered its arms and folded its hands back together in front of itself as it turned its hooded face back to Katlin. A small flutter of paper was the last thing to settle, which slowly wove its way through the air and came to rest at last on the floor between them.

Katlin looked about the room, then back at the mass of dark robes, which stood watching her as though waiting for her appraisal.

"That's it?" She ask. "You can destroy a room?"

Its gaze never once leaving Katlin, the creature lifted one hand into the air and unceremoniously snapped its fingers.

Again, instantly the room flew into motion. But this time there was far more order in the movement. Almost before she could even realize what had happened, the room was completely back as it had originally been. Everything was in place down to the last detail.

With one exception.

The small scrap of paper that lay on the floor between them was still there.

Katlin stooped down and picked it up. It was only then that she realized it wasn't just a random scrap of paper. It was a piece of paper that had been carefully folded into the shape of a small bird. As she looked it over, Katlin noticed there was writing on the paper and gingerly began to unfold it.

When she finally got it unfolded, she was surprised to find it was actually a fairly normal sized piece of paper.

Her face suddenly paled.

The paper was a document. A commendation, in fact.

And the name written on it was 'Orion Black'.

****

Q&A

Sweets!  
Ohhhhhh. So sorry I missed you last time, Dear.

I went to post and when I did I checked my reviews and there you were. I apologize for not seeing it earlier.

We were VERY fortunate with my Dad. Never convince me God doesn't answer prayers. As you read my Dad did very well and is home now. They put him on Cumidin and there is currently very little evidence of the stroke but for a slight weakness on the right side.

Thank you, God!

The way this man is going he will outlive the entire family.

Well, you're right and you're wrong, I'm afraid. You are right, we are getting near the end. But Orion trying to make Katlin remember him. That's the last thing he wants. If she remembers him, she remembers everything. And in the position he's in now, how well do you think that will go over? He's asked her to marry him (again), he's lying to her about his whole life, and, to an extent, he's been manipulating her. Now, the first two she might get over....eventually. The last one..........she doesn't forgive that...ever. And as you saw in this chapter, Orion had the chance to face the music, as it were, and he backed down again. True, he had Katlin's best interests at heart, but he's had several opportunities to set things right and he's avoided each one masterfully.

I think you'll like the climax of this story.

You think Katlin's being married will end soon? Dear, she may not ever get to the alter with anyone at the rate she's going.

Up dating two times in two days? Way to go, girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never stop guessing, Dear. I love theories!

Silverfox:

Oh goody! A nice long one.

The computer appreciated the chocolate, Dear. Thank you.

Can Bo actually be captured? Interesting question. Interesting answer, too. It's a situational thing, Dear. Suppose Voldemort got a hold of one of Talon's sons, held him in an undisclosed location, and told the man 'Do what I say or I kill your son'? Isn't that in effect 'capturing Bo'? Now granted, it'll be trial and error, or pure luck, that Voldemort would get the right son. If he grabs Orion, TDB. Orion controls Bo as well as his father. If he grabs Sirius, well........., ever read The Ransom of Red Chief? I mean, just how lucky would you be in that situation?

And by the way, what I just gave you figures VERY heavily into Family Ties, the third story in the Family story arc. I'm not worried about you're getting information on that one early, mind you, because we'll probably both be old and grey with senility settling in by the time it comes out (based on how long Family Relations is taking.).

I wouldn't worry much about Bo, Dear. He's not indistructable, but he's so darned enigmatic he's hard to predict, therefore hard to attack. You just can't depend on how he'll react to anything you try to do. This is one of the reasons Orion was so careful of letting katlin around him. He just never knew how Bo would react to something.

Now, am I suggesting Bo is an insane, irrational creature? Not at all. And his channeler knows this. But what Orion understands probably better than anyone else (and why he gets along with Bo better than even Bo's host) is that Bo isn't part of our (man, I hate this word) realm. He doesn't have a lot of experience in the 'physical world' or with all the strange creatures that inhabit it (us). This is also one of the reasons Bo likes Charly so much. Charly is 'one of those strange creatures' (and is non-magical) that he can interact with in a controlled environment (Orion is there). This is an excellent opportunity for him to LEARN.

Charly would actually probably be a bit insulted to learn that the reason, at its roots, that Bo likes him is that Bo considers him one of the simpler forms a life for him to learn from. In other words, Bo considers him fairly harmless.

And might I point out something you can mull over for a while here? Consider how Orion (and Charly) see Bo's attachment to Charly. Now consider the real reason. So, who's manipulating who there? And remember what I've always said, Bo is not as naive or harmless as he makes people believe. (Man, you are going to be so far ahead of everyone else with what I give you in Q&A.)

Talon isn't really hard to understand, Dear. Think Gene Simmons of KISS as he is now with a military background. A really STRONG military background.

Hmmmmm. Didn't know you had stories out, Dear. I'll have to go take a look. Believe it or not, I don't even have the time to check things like that.

OK. I'll sort of give you this one. Treaks is not technically Voldemort's 'second-in-command' if you look at things in a strictly military line up. Voldemort's second-in-command then would be Katlin, and then Treaks would come after her in the line up. But no, Treaks in no way, shape, or form out ranks Katlin. That's part of what irks him. No matter what he does for Voldemort he can't surpass Katlin in standing based on what he feels is solely her standing with Voldemort. He can't conceive that she outranks him based on the fact that maybe, just maybe, she is, in fact, better than he is. Which is, in fact, WHY she outranks him. It has nothing whatsoever to do with how Voldemort may or may not feel about her.

OK. More sticky stuff here. First, no, Bo does not always know where Orion is. Second, why would Bo be alarmed just because Orion was absent? The man has a job he goes to. Bo understands that. Doesn't like it, but understands it. And again, you're running into the way Bo's mind works here. He doesn't immediately jump to the conclusion that, because Orion isn't there, he's in trouble. Regardless of how Charly is acting, Bo goes for the simple answers first. 'Orion isn't there. Then he has to be at work.' That's the first thing Bo would think of.

OK. Have a question for YOU. Was the story Orion was told about what happened to Katlin's parents true or not? This is a highly important part of the story. One which, perhaps incorrectly, I thought was obvious. And 'yes', if Orion was using his brain he might realize a highly possible suspect in al of this was Charly. But keep in mind Charly is his BEST friend. Since childhood. They have always been friends. Always been together. And never, never, never betrayed each other. Now, with that in mind, why would he suspect that person? Especially when there are so many other likely candidates around?

And how would Orion come to that conclusion, anyway? Charly was no fool. He told the story to his contact, who told it to someone else. That was how they got it past Orion as to whether or not it was a lie. Regardless of if it is or isn't, to the person who told it to Orion, it was the truth.

Wellllllllll.........., he sort of told her his first name? (Judges give a thumbs down.) Dang! Gold star. (). (I hope this one sticks. The last one seemed to have disappeared.)

Well, I can't tell you how our boy's going to get out of this one yet. That's the next chapter.

He couldn't marry her? Do you honestly think he can swing it now? He hasn't told her one thing about himself that's the truth yet.

Sorry, I've said all about that puzzle I'm going to. And I stick by what I have said all along. Orion has not suddenly decided he wants to be Harry's guardian. He, in fact, wants nothing less. But taking Harry away from the man he is with is currently, definitely, in Harry's best interest.

Does it have anything to do with Sirius' Azkaban nightmares? No. (Still in the wrong pond, Dear. Lots of fish there, just not the one you want.)

(Par nods in happy agreement.0 Yes, yes. I have had to do this. Order things.......in detail. What a pain in the asaaahhhhhhh............nevermind.

If Talon dies, Dear, Bo stays the host. Technically speaking, the Power doesn't really need a host anymore. The only reason it is still part of Talon is because it joined with him before Talon 'created' Bo. Once Talon dies, the Power has no need for a new host. It will stay where it is until the boggart dies, which won't actually happen because the boggart part of Bo isn't really much of a separate part of him anymore. It exists solely because of the Power. Without the Power, it would die. So as long as it stays connected to the Power, it won't die. (Make sense?)

I don't mind questions about Bo, Dear. Really. You just have to accept that sometimes I will slip up with him and make a comment I'll have to retract later.

Well, someone must have faith in the man. He's an Unspeakable. But what parent totally trusts their child's ability to make the right decisions every time.

Others in the wizarding world don't actually see the Black family's power as that unusual. They are just considered an extraordinarily powerful family of wizards and witches.

OK. Let's talk about this. You keep coming back to it. 'Dumbledore isn't that interested in the Deatheaters yet.' No, he's not. But he isn't just sitting about waiting for them to do something either. But nor is he ready to panic the wizarding community over them yet.

He just let Katlin walk away? Not at all. He erased her memory. OK. Yes, he let her go the first time. But the woman was distressed and an emotional wreck. She came to him for help. How nice would it have been to say 'Well, I'm really glad you, an Elite Deatheater, came to me, leader of all that is good and right in the world, for help. Someone who, though you have no reason to, you trusted to help you. Oh, by the way, I'm tossing your Deatheater butt into Azkaban. Have a nice day.'

There's a war going on (sort of). She's the enemy, coming to him for help. It's got a lot of potential there. And Dumbledore was smart enough to see it.

Severus is interested in working against Voldemort but Albus isn't? Says who, Dear?

I'll help you out on the parties, Dear. You work so hard on the reviews, I'll give you a break here.

How many parties are involved with this? Three.

(The Ministry, The Deatheaters, and The wizard in the north.)

A small point before I answer this next one. By think they are involved I meant how many people think they know what's going on, but are actually just being manipulated by someone else.

How many parties think they are involved in this? Seven.

(The Ministry, The Deatheaters, Lawrence Olivers, Charly, Orion, Katlin, and Treaks. Now, who did that leave out, Dear.)

How many parties are involved in this and don't even know it , despite that they are the reason for the whole mess to begin with? One.

(Bo.)

And that's not a total list, Dear. It's just the one I'm working with right now.

Hope that helps, Dear.

Why can't other muggles and squibs draw power from their wizarding friends? Oh! Thank you for once asking me something easy.

Read back to the chapter The Power. Orion didn't just give Charly the right to draw magic from him. Nor does the fact that Charly has Orion's wand constitute the only factor.

What does Bo have to do with it? Almost everything.

Remember that Orion originally went to Bo with the problem that he wanted to allow his muggle friend, someone with no innate magically ability whatsoever, to be able to draw magic off of him and thereby, do magic. Bo gave Orion a spell that allowed Charly to do just that. But the price Orion paid was giving up his wand. By chance (?) Orion had two wands. So he gave Charly his second wand and he kept his first. 'Parameters of the spell', folks. It'll come back to haunt Orion someday.

LCM:

Sorry, Dear. But 'no'. Its' always been 'Charly'. If I ever spelled it differently, I was in error.

skahducky:

Mad? Phhhhhfffffffffft! There's a nice word for it.

How is Katlin planning to let Treaks know she's already married? I would suspect with a grand parade down Main Street with a hundred piece band playing 'I'm His Misses' (For you BVS fans) with her providing the lyrics as she waves the framed marriage certificate about for all to see.

But I'm just guessing here.

Honestly, Katlin is a grown woman. She can do what she wants. If she chooses to go out and get married one bright, sunny day, she's perfectly free to do that.

Would Johnathan be upset. Sure.

Can he do anything about it....legally? No.

Would she have some explaining to do to Voldemort later? Probably not. Voldemort isn't crazy about the idea to begin with. Johnathan kind of slipped it in on him, and he agreed.

Voldemort's fall will happen in this story, and is a large part of it.

You seem to be assuming the third party's interest is Voldemort. It isn't.

Of course this is AU. None of this happened to our knowledge. But it will follow canon pretty closely up to Book Four. How can I be so certain? Because I totally skip those four books and go right into tying this into Family Life.

Ah! 'Was the information Orion got concerning Katlin's past true?' How is it that it took some twenty-one chapters before someone actually ASK that?

Your reasoning on this question, Dear, is very sound. Go with it. And if you need more help in the right direction, go read the last chapter again in what Treaks tells Orion.

nessie:

OK, first, whether or not she fell in love with him faster than the last time is up for grabs. The last time it took her a while to admit she was in love. Next, who's saying she's in love this time? She hasn't said it. And don't pull the 'she's marrying him' card on me, either. She's marrying him to get out of marrying Treaks. In which case she'd marry Bale if that were a guaranteed out.

Currently, she just likes him a lot.

Make believe people are far easier than real people. They are there when you want them. They do what you ask. They answer questions how you expect. They never contradict you. And they never overstay their welcome.

All reviews are as of 05162004.

And remember;

Best doormat in the world.

We love our vacuum,

we've found God,

and we gave at the office.

Thanks.


	52. Chapter FortyThree: Evasion Tactics

A/N: Not this time, Folks.

But as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Mine? Right! Oh, please!

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: EVASION TACTICS

Katlin's hand instantly covered her mouth, a slight sound being all that escaped.

Orion Black.

She knew that name. As did every Deatheater. He was one of the most hated Aurors among them. But why would Sier have such a document?

Maybe Sier was connected to the man somehow.

Katlin felt her frantic mind calm slightly at the thought. That was it! Sier was a relative. Didn't Black have a brother?

Katlin racked her brain. What was the man's name? Sier..........Sirius!

That was it! 'Sier' must be a nickname of some sort. Short for 'Sirius'. And that made him Orion Black's brother.

Katlin all but breathed a sigh of relief. That explained as well for her why he didn't want to tell her his last name. He was a Black. He was afraid she would hate him as well because of his brother. Because Orion was an Auror.

Katlin happily went back to sorting things out. She certainly had enough other things to occupy her mind. The night before she and Sier had chosen a date for the wedding. Just five short days away. There was so much to do. And now that she had an explanation for her fiancee's mysterious shielding of his last name, things looked a good deal clearer to her. So his brother was an Auror. She had no idea if Sier held the same beliefs or not. How could he? He was dating her. They were getting married. And he said he didn't get involved in other people's politics.

Yes, everything was right back on track.

Katlin's happy pasting together of facts came to an abrupt end.

Sirius Black?

She suddenly realized she knew that name as well. Sirius Black was also an Auror. And why did he have a commendation document for his brother?

Katlin spun about and quickly began tearing through papers on the desk behind her. The mass of black robes shadowed her, looking over her shoulder at what she was doing, but made no attempt to stop her. Katlin pulled out another piece of parchment on which the name Orion Black was signed on the bottom. She tossed it aside and went on with her frantic search. Soon she found another document with the same name on it. Then several others.

Letters.

Receipts.

Bank papers.

All with the same name.

Katlin turned in absolute fury to the creature behind her, a stash of the papers clutched tightly in her hand.

"Orion Black!" She shrieked at the creature. "It isn't his brother. He isn't Sier!" She screamed, pointing to the ceiling. "That man.......that bastard.......that filthy, disgusting, abhorrent, lying..........." Words finally failed her as she threw the papers to the floor in anger. "He lied to me! He lied! He's an Auror! A filthy, rotten............," the rest came out in a low growl, ".......dead Auror."

Katlin made straight for the door to the room. But the tower of black robes moved with her, placing itself in front of her at the last minute and blocking the exit.

Katlin stepped back from the creature, pulling out her wand.

"Get out of my way!" she warned.

The creature reached out a robe covered hand. Katlin pulled back instinctively as she fired off a spell at the creature before her.

The spell struck home with little doubt. But the instant it made contact with the creature it fanned out in waves, effectively washing over the form in the black robes and finally simply dissolving.

But the creature kept reaching for her until it touched its hand to her forehead.

Instantly the Deatheater collapsed, crumpling in a heap to the floor.

Bo stood for several minutes, anxiously tapping the tips of his fingers together as he stared down at the woman laying on the floor.

This simply wasn't good.

****

(Scene Change)

Upstairs Orion lay in bed as his worried partner gave him an appraising once over.

"Well, you're still alive. Bo's actually good for something."

"He's been doing just fine, Charly. Pile of laundry's a natural healer." Orion rubbed the back of his neck with a slight wince. "I just wish I knew what Treaks hit me with."

Charly gave his partner a small smile. "He just got off a luck hit, Orion. That's all."

But the man in the bed shook his head. "It wasn't a lucky shot, Charly. It was a trap. A well laid one. And I walked right into it."

"Deatheaters are always mucking about with spells, Mate. You know that. Probably just a variation of one."

Orion shook his head, wincing again. "Charly, I didn't even recognize this one. It was like.............having something put under your nose with your eyes closed and someone tells you what it is. You know what you expect it to smell like. But what you expect and what you smell turn out to be two totally different things. It was just.........I've never felt that kind of magic before."

Charly paled slightly at his partner's description. "Was it dark magic, do you think?"

Orion shook his head again. "I know dark magic, Charly. This was......direct. It had one purpose. To attack. It was just..............," Orion paused, then gave up, "I've just never felt anything like it. And it worries me that the Deatheaters might have something that powerful. What if they........."

Orion never got to finish what he was going to say. Abruptly the tower of dark robes materialized at the foot of Orion's bed and instantly launched into a rapid series of gestures. Both men watched the boggart with undivided attention when Charly suddenly spoke up right in the middle of Bo's rapid gesturing.

"Here! What does he mean 'she's down in the study'?" Charly ask, turning quickly to his partner.

Bo suddenly looked up at Charly as though he hadn't even seen him there to begin with. Instantly he stopped gesturing and hid both hands out of sight behind his back. Standing up to his full height, the boggart did a very good impression of looking innocent.

"Bo, whose down in the study?" Charly asked again.

The boggart quickly turned his head to Orion, then back to Charly, making a quick gesture.

"No one." Charly said in a less than convinced voice. "You popped up here to tell Orion no one was in the study?"

The boggart offered no further explanations.

"Right." Charly stated, getting up from the chair. "We'll see about that then."

Orion simply sighed at the whole display as he watched his partner storm out of the room. He knew he had a few moments at least before Charly made it to the study.

"All right, Bo." he stated. "Tell me again."

Bo immediately launched into his explanation. But Orion brought it to a quick halt as he waved his hand at him.

"Wait! Wait, wait, wait." he stated. "She found 'what'?"

The boggart repeated the gesture.

"Papers? What sort of papers?" But Orion suddenly remembered Charly and quickly pulled the sheets back as he pulled himself up in the bed. "All right, never mind." he told the mass of black robes, holding his hand out to the boggart as he swung his feet off the bed. "Just show me. I'll sort things out from there."

Bo carefully wrapped a robe covered arm about his friend and in the next second Orion found himself standing in the study, though only because Bo was still supporting him. Before him Katlin still lay unconscious on the floor.

The boggart pointed emphatically at the collapsed form.

"Yes, yes. I see." Orion stated, working his way over to her by way of chairs and desks that he held onto.

Just as he reached the collapsed form, Charly came storming through the doors.

"That had best be a hooker you picked up at a bar, Mate!" he stated as he stormed across the room, reaching his partner just as Orion was turning a still stunned Katlin over. Catching sight of her face, Charly looked everything but surprised. "Oh, good." he stated in low tone. "It is."  
Orion frowned up at him, then turned back to Bo.

"Why is she unconscious, Bo?" he asked.

The boggart went through a series of gestures.

"We're back to the papers again?" Orion asked with a puzzled frown.

But Charly was already picking the crumpled pile of parchments off the floor and looking over each one in turn.

"Oh, she was a busy little girl." he stated, turning back to Orion. "She's got a handful of parchments here. Letters, statements, even papers from the Ministry........all with your name on them." Charly paused as he handed the papers off to his partner. "Mate, she found out who you were and she obviously wasn't happy about it."

"You don't know that." Orion stated, although he sounded more like he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

Charly turned to the boggart. "Bo, why did you stun her?" he asked, pointing to the collapsed woman.

Bo made a quick series of gestures, to which Charly turned slowly back to his partner. "Because she was going to kill the Auror." he translated. "Oh yeah. She was thrilled."

Orion paused as he slowly lowered himself into a chair with Bo's help.

"Orion," Charly said, walking over to him, "It's all hit the fan now. She knows who you are. She knows you're an Auror. And she's going with her instincts here. What she knows. What she's been taught. Kill Aurors."

"So what would you have me do?" Orion asked as he stared at the collapsed form. "Turn her over to the ministry?"

"Orion," Charly said quietly, crouching in front of his partner as he looked up at him, "it's gotten out of hand, mate. You tried. It didn't work. You tried again, it still didn't work. How many times are you going to put yourself...put her...through this? The situation isn't good, and you need to end it. Once and for all."

"How?" came the barely audible answer.

Charly thought fast. Orion was at least listening to reason....for the moment. But he was afraid of how fast that might change.

"We'll get Dumbledore. Have him expand the memory charm. Just get rid of the last few days."

"We can't go back to Dumbledore." Orion replied quietly. "The old man will kill me."

"Better him than her." Charly replied, pointing behind him at the unconscious woman. "Now, she's only been seeing 'Sier' for a short time. No one at the lair likely even knows about you yet. Dumbledore can redo the Memory Charm and we'll just leave her near the lair. Like we did before. All right?"

Orion sighed as he focused his attention solely on the figure on the floor.

"I messed up, Charly. Again."

"'Fraid so, mate." his partner offered sympathetically.

"I swore I wouldn't this time. I would find a way to make this work."

"Orion, you were lying to her from square one. How were you going to make a pack of lies work? Now you tried..., again. It still didn't work. Now.....sometimes proving you love someone comes at the price of having to admit that they are better off without you than with you."

Orion didn't answer him, but kept his attention focused where it was.

"Orion," Charly said quietly, "if she comes round, she's going to try and kill you. And she might get lucky. Now, it's over. You can't explain things away anymore. You know what you have to do."

Orion paused as he closed his eyes, a thin trail of a tear running down one cheek. But finally he nodded in answer to Charly's statement.

"We'll take her to Dumbledore." Charly suggested. "We'll explain to him what happened..................."

The suggestion was met with a short, choked laugh. "Right." Orion stated. "Go and explain to Dumbledore how all this happened. He will absolutely love that."

"Then what would you suggest? Neither of us is that good at Memory Charms. Least of all to manipulate one this selectively."

Orion paused as his gaze slowly drifted to the figure standing silently over the collapsed form.

"Bo can do it." He stated in a very tired, very worn voice.

"Bo?" Charly asked in disbelief. "Mate, are you crazy?"

"Bo was teaching me Memory Charms before anything else. He can do it."

Charly gave the man a skeptical look. But Orion was agreeing to allow the Memory Charm, and that was more important to him at the moment that who actually performed it.

"All right." he replied. "But just make sure he gets it right. It's right complicated doing it in bit parts."

Orion didn't make any move to enlist the boggart's help at first, but nor did Charly press him. But after a few moments, Orion finally said, "Bo."

The boggart raised its head and turned to his friend.

"Bo," he ask in the same tired voice without once looking up at the boggart, "can you do a Memory Charm?"

The boggart nodded.

Orion must have seen him nod, because he went on. "And can you do them selectively? Just erase what you want. Not everything."

The boggart nodded again.

Orion paused again for a few minutes, leaning back in the chair as he stared at the ceiling.

"Orion," Charly finally prodded him gently in a low voice, "it for the best. For everyone. You know that."

Orion continued to simply stare at the ceiling for a few more moments, then finally pulled himself back up and pointed at Katlin's collapsed form. "I want you to erase any memory she has of the last few days, Bo. Any memory of me or anything she may have learned. Replace it with random daily events. Nothing that would make her question anything. You understand?"

Bo stood for a few moments, then made a small gesture.

Orion read the gesture, then frowned slightly, but finally just shrugged it off. He was simply too exhausted at that point to play games with the boggart. "Yes. Just like last time, Bo. Do it just the same."

With that final order, Orion pulled himself out of the chair with Charly's help and left the room, never once looking back.

****

(Scene Change)

As soon as he had Orion settled back in his bed and everything else arranged as they discussed, Charly was off to one of the lower town bars he and Treaks used as meeting places. He wasn't looking forward to meeting with Treaks that night, but circumstances dictated it this time. It would be the first time he had seen the Deatheater since Orion's capture, and he had a few questions he wanted answered.

The minute Treaks entered the bar Charly swore he could feel the man's presence. It wasn't a feeling he liked. It was more and more becoming a feeling that something wasn't right. A feeling that was fueling his suspicions of the man. But for tonight he needed answers, so he had to try and stay level-headed about things.

"What is it this time, Misser?" the low, cold voice behind him asked as it approached and finally took a seat next to him.

Charly slowly set his drink down on the ring-stained bar counter.

"My partner was captured a few days ago." Charly started out. "By Deatheaters."

He slowly turned to face the man. "I want to know what you had to do with it."

The Deatheaters showed no surprise at the question. Any more than Charly did at the answer.

"Everything."

"He was tortured. Nearly killed." Charly went on in a low, level voice. "What can you possibly tell me that would make me let you walk out of this bar alive tonight?"

Treaks smiled slightly, then gave the man a low, quiet laugh. "My, my. Where is that 'we're both on the same side now' speech of yours, Misser?"

Charly reached over and laid a hand on Treaks arm. But the grip was anything but friendly. "Not when it's my partner."

Treaks pulled up slightly at the ever increasing pressure the fingers were exerting on his lower arm. Finally he wrenched the arm out of the man's grip. "Steady, Misser." Treaks answered with a falsely stable tone. "You're letting your temper show."

Treaks didn't even have time to react as the man next to him suddenly spun about, knocking the bar stool he was sitting on over as he wrapped two clenched fists about the collar of Deatheater's jacket. "He's my partner!" Charly hissed at the man. "And you damn near murdered him. Why!?"

Treaks fought down his fear as he pulled back slightly. He had seen this man in battle and he knew the muggle had a temper. One that could make him as ruthless as any Deatheater. And it came out the worst when Charly felt he had to defend his partner. Treaks was well on his way to his wand when the bartender came to his timely rescue.

"Here! None of that in my place." he stated firmly, a large bat-type stick in his hand. "Take it outside."

Treaks gave the Auror a tight-lipped smile. "You heard the man, Misser. Take it outside."

Charly only released his hold on the man's collar to get a grip on his arm as he practically shoved him through the crowd and out onto the street. One good thing about the places they met, Charly knew too well, was any altercation went practically un-noticed due to such things being so common placed among the clientele.

"Are you quite done wrinkling my jacket now?" Treaks ask in a heated voice as he brushed down his sleeve. But he quickly amended his tone when he caught sight of the cold stare fixed on him. "Fine." he stated. "If you're willing to listen, I'll explain it to you."

"I suggest you talk very fast." came the reply that caused even Treaks to give an involuntary shudder to it.

The muggle had a temper.

And a wand.

Treaks bought himself a few precious minutes by straightening his jacket out again before he turned to face the man eye to eye.

"Your partner was marked for death." he started. "Voldemort had given the order any Auror matching the description given of the one who destroyed the lair was to be killed on sight."

"That's old news." Charly hissed at the man.

"Not this order." Treaks replied. "Voldemort gave the order himself, before all the Deatheaters. Any Auror, tall, thin, with long black hair, was to be killed on sight. To the exclusion of any other." Treaks pulled back with a slight smile. "I did your partner a favor, Misser. I solved his problem for him."

Treaks never even saw the blow coming. A second later he was on the pavement, his jaw feeling like it was near broken. On instinct he went for his wand.

One word, and it was torn out of his grip.

He turned quickly onto his back, only to see Misser standing before him holding the Deatheater's wand tightly in his right hand while his own was pointed in the man's face.

"I'm finding your explanation most unsatisfactory right now." Charly told him in a low, dangerous voice.

"Your partner was going to be killed." Treaks offered up a good deal quicker. "One of the other Deatheaters on that raid where we captured him wanted to be the bait. I talked him out of it. He would have killed your partner, Misser."

"And you just decided to torture him instead?" The wand pressed a little closer.

"I had to do something!" Treaks stated in something very close to a panicked cry. "Don't you understand? I had to give them something. It was all too easy. One on one. If I hadn't come back with him, then I had best have been sitting in a Ministry interrogation room. Because that's the only explanation they would have excepted for his escape."

"What? You never miss?" Charly ask skeptically.

"I've 'missed' too many times." Treaks replied. "Too many times letting your partner go free. Too many times looking the other way. People start to notice things like that, Misser. And if I fall suspect, I might not be there the next time your dear partner needs someone to look the other way. And whoever is in my place might not be quiet so selective. Now, I'm very sorry if Black had to kiss his lovely raven strands goodbye. But that was the price he paid to stay alive this time. Next time maybe I'll just chose a body part instead."

"You planned this." Charly stated with determination in every word.

"That's a lie." Treaks responded with just as much conviction.

"The spell you used to capture him." Charly stated with a cold, mirthless smile. "The master taught it to you weeks ago. I was there. You were planning to use it to capture Orion."

"I planned 'ahead', Misser. Because Magic knows, one of us has to in this."

"And you have five precious seconds to explain that."

"Yes, I planned the capture. I did it in the hopes Black would get focused again. That he would realize how vulnerable he's allowed himself to become. You know I'm telling the truth. You're the one who told me that. You were becoming concerned over his lack of focus. He was becoming careless on missions. Taking un-necessary risks. You said the man acted like he just didn't care anymore."

Treaks watched with an immense feeling of satisfaction as Misser slowly pulled back. The man was listening to all the right words. That's all it took with most people. Just tell them what they want to hear and they'll hear it. You don't even have to force them.

"Now," Treaks stated, his own voice a great deal more under control, "how well was it serving our master's purpose if, after all we've done to protect him and keep him alive, the idiot goes out and, because he's careless, gets himself killed?"

Charly pulled back and turned partially back to the door of the bar. A drink was what he wanted right then more than anything else.

But he had to finish business first.

Turning back about he leveled his wand at the man still on the ground.

"Crucio!"

Treaks let out a scream of pain as he fell back against the pavement. His hands clawing at the air in agony.

Charly had the man by the jacket before the spell even wore off. Yanking him to his feet he pulled the man up until he was staring him right in the eyes.

"And you pray to whatever you believe in that I never find what you've just told me to be anything by the sworn truth."

Treaks barely managed any words past the man's grip, which was dangerously close to choking him. "It's the truth." he rasped out. "I swear it."

Charly released his grip as he threw the man back on the pavement. "Fine. You're so proud of your well thought out plan. Let me tell you what it's gotten you. Orion has been hold up in his house the past few days, basking in the loving care of his own private nurse."

Treaks rubbed his neck as he stared up at the man. "What are you talking about?"

"Griss, the problem you were managing so well, has been playing nursemaid to Orion ever since he escaped. But this time he'd found a way around the Deatheater/Auror problem."

"Which was?"

"He didn't tell her."

"He didn't tell her?"

"He convinced her instead he was a 35 year old Medi-wizard."

Treaks stared back at the man for a moment. "A what?"

"Unfortunately your girl got a bit too curious, and when opportunity came knocking, she opened the door and let it waltz right in."

"Meaning?"

"She got into his study and went on a 'seek and find' mission. And she found plenty. Enough to tell her who he was without question."

Treaks didn't even bother suppressing the smile on his face. "Oh, that must have been just lovely. And you're worried about me killing your partner?"

"She was stopped before she got far enough to do any damage."

"And where is she now?"

"Back at the lair. We redid the Memory Charm, erasing the last few days. That should take care of any time she was with Orion. She won't remember his being captured, being with him, or anything she may have found out in his study."

Treaks frowned at the last part. "Pity."

Charly leaned down and grabbed the man's shirt, yanking him up until he was face to face with him again. He congratulated himself that Treaks once again pulled back from him. "Manage your problem, Treaks." He advised the Deatheaters in a low, level voice.

With one final shove Charly released the man as he stood back up. Dropping Treaks wand next to him on the pavement, and without once looking back, he turned and walked off into the gathering fog.

****

(Scene Change)

Treaks hurried down the corridor, having seen Voldemort turn down it moments before. He quickened his steps until he caught sight of the black robes just ahead of him.

"My lord!" Treaks called as respectfully as he could make it sound.

Voldemort's steps only slowed at the call at first, but eventually stopped as he turned a very disgruntled stare to the man hurrying to catch up to him.

"What is it, Treaks?" he asked. "I am very busy."

"I have no doubt, my lord." Treaks replied in the same near-groveling tone. "But this matter is important. It involves Katlin."

If Treaks thought adding Katlin's name would gain support for his statement, he couldn't have been more wrong. The dark wizard's expression darkened even more as he glared at the man before him.

"I have heard enough from you on this matter, Treaks." he stated in a low, dangerous tone. "If you can not handle matters on your own concerning Katlin, perhaps this marriage isn't such a good idea after all."

Treaks instantly pulled back. He knew Voldemort was never completely in favor of his marriage to Katlin and he had had to do some very good persuading in order to make Voldemort see even the smallest merit in it. But the more Katlin delayed things, the more Treaks pressed the issue with Voldemort, and the more irritated the dark lord was becoming. And perhaps he was right. How well would he be able to handle Katlin as his wife if he couldn't even handle things with her now?

Well, that was a small matter. If things went as he planned now, soon he wouldn't have to worry about that at all.

"I have mis-spoken, my lord." Treaks replied solicitously. "What I meant was only to voice my concern for her as of late."

"Of late?"

Treaks could tell he know had the man's full attention. Just suggest anything was amiss with his beloved head Elite and you had his full attention as with nothing else.

"Katlin hasn't been herself these past few weeks, my lord. I am sure you have seen it yourself. She has been moody, agitated, and very short with the others."

"Perhaps it is just the wedding drawing near." Voldemort suggested almost conversationally. "She's worried with the details."

Treaks paced himself. He had to place every step now with extreme caution.

"I do not think that is it, my lord." he replied cautiously. "Katlin....I have known her for a very long time."

"As have I, Treaks." Voldemort's voice came out hard and cold.

Treaks pulled back again. "More so than anyone, my lord." he amended quickly. "I only meant to point out that I have known her to be like this from before. And it was usually not from anything that was concerning her, but more that she was......bored."

"Bored?" Voldemort turned to face the man fully.

"Katlin hasn't had a mission in some time, my lord." Treaks offered helpfully. "Not one of any significance to her. Something that required any real effort on her part. You have sent her out with the lower ranking Deatheaters. But she doesn't find much challenge in those missions. They're not what she is used to. What she needs to prove, to herself, she still has value."

"Katlin does not doubt her value with me."

Treaks pulled back slightly. "With all due respect, my lord, how have you allowed her to redeem herself since her last punishment? By assigning her to lower ranking tasks? She perhaps feels you do not trust her with anything more serious yet. Such a thing would definitely weaken her spirits, to feel she wasn't serving you as well as she could."

Voldemort stared at the man for a very long time.

Treaks did his very best to maintain a neutral air about himself. He was just offering a suggestion, he firmly told him over and over. Nothing more.

Finally Voldemort spoke again. And his words carried a clear warning if Treaks were misleading him. "And you have some suggestion to offer?"

"Katlin only seeks to serve you, my lord." Treaks replied earnestly. "She is happiest when she do that. Give her a mission to go on. Something of some importance to allow her to prove herself to you again if only in her own eyes."

Voldemort thought for a moment, but finally nodded slightly. "Perhaps you have a valid point." he replied, his voice a good deal less frosted.

Treaks smiled. The dark lord was listening to him.

"Perhaps I can find something........"

"If I might offer a suggestion, my lord?" Treaks spoke up, but quickly cursed his eagerness as Voldemort's stare darkened again.

"A suggestion?" he practically growled at the man.

"Only if you think it is worthy of her, my lord." Treaks offered. "But I can, of course, only hope you will see merit in it."

"Speak."

Treaks fought with himself to keep the smile off his lips. He had to make this good.

"At Dumbledore's castle two of your enemies are residing. The Auror, Orion Black, and Severus Snape, who you yourself have suspected as turning traitor to your noble cause. Sending Katlin there could eliminate both of them in one night, and further secure your position in the growing turmoil in the wizarding community."

Voldemort stared down at the man.

"She is only seeking to prove herself to you, my lord." Treaks repeated. "It would please her to know she had done so. And likely raise her spirits immensely."

Voldemort continued to stare at the man without saying a word. but finally he turned and walked off down the hallway.

"Tell Katlin I wish to see her in my chambers."

Treaks didn't bother hiding his smile this time.

"At once, my lord."

****

Q&A

Sirius-ly disturbed:

Interesting name, Dear.

All of them!? In just three days!? Well, you can just color me impressed. Takes most people three days just to read Family Life. My goodness, but you've been busy!

Well, I'm very glad you liked the stories, Dear. And thank you for liking my little saying at the bottom. I was beginning to wonder if anyone actually saw those.

On with the answers.

Fever

I'm sorry, Dear, I only know of one story that did the story, but then repeated it from another characters POV. And although off hand I can not recall the name of it, I can promise you it was not mine. I switch POV within stories, and Fever was very big on that because PAR was e.x.p.e.r.i.m.e.n.t.i.n.g. with a new style for her on that one. But I dropped it half way through the story because one; it was difficult to write, and two; it was redundant.

So, sorry, but no, Fever was just one story, no sequel or different POV associated story.

The Bonds That Tie

Any possibility of seeing how Harry grows up with Sirius as a parental figure? Anything is possible, Dear. But I don't have anything in the works right now. I've got several stories waiting in the wings as it is, plus several more one-shots.

Yes indeed. Aaron Richards is a flea-scratching, fur-shedding, tail-wagging werewolf.

Right on again. Richards is far more in-tune with the duel side of his nature than just about any werewolf can be. He lets his heightened senses work for him rather than trying to ignore them. And yes, he knew the dog was Sirius by smell alone.

Enemies

Everything in Enemies will eventually be tied up. But don't expect it to be at the end of the story itself. Enemies is sort of an umbrella under which the Family series resides. In some way, shape, or form, they are all related in small details. By the end of the Family story arc, all the lose ends will be tied up.

Family Life

Well, I'm bias. It was my first, so it's my favorite.

You have valid points, Dear. But I guess it all comes down to how we each see the characters ourselves. I saw Harry as a child, deprived of any love or attention, suddenly having al he could handle. I would think such a child, naturally trusting and a quick bonder (look at how fast he made friends at school), to jump into the pool of parental affection with both feet. Especially when you have two godparents willing to go overboard with it at a moments notice. First you have Arabella, who is desperate to prove she can be just as good a godmother as Sirius is a godfather. And on the other side of the coin you have Sirius, who wants nothing more than to spoil his godson.

Harry's got it made.

General question. Yup. Aaron Richards is my resident doctor. He was there in The Bonds That Tie, Tried And Convicted, and Enemies.

Safe bet? I never use the same name. I try to keep my character names as different as possible to avoid confusion.

Yes, Dear, the 'incident' to me was a pointless piece added for shock value. When Ms. Rowlings proves otherwise, I will apologize. Until then I will happily consider it a misprint that just hasn't been caught yet and corrected.

Sweets:

You're meeting a seven month old child? And you're happy about this? Strange woman.

You're 'old co-workers'? Are we not working for the 'House of Mouse' anymore, Dear?

I don't think I could do that to poor Orion. Charly and Katlin in a room....together....with him? Man's just been tortured. How much can he stand?

What Dementors, Dear? I don't remember writing Dementors.

Silverfox:

Oh goody!

Ummmm....., man hasn't been thinking with his head for a long time, Dear. If you know what I mean.

No. Bo did not give Katlin the paper on purpose. That was utter coincidence. OR bad luck. Your choice.

Ransom of Red Chief. This was the story about a pair of would-be, hapless kidnappers who grabbed the young son of a prominent man and demanded money. While waiting for the ransom, the kidnappers were so abused by this little heathen that they sent him back without collecting any money. I can see Sirius in the title role here.

Well, you have valid points, Dear. And there is very little to stop Talon from using Bo to rescue his sons in such a situation. But if Voldemort got either son and kept him hidden somewhere, and used a Blocker so Bo couldn't find him right off, this could prove a problem. And even if Bo found them, what's to keep Voldemort from standing there with a wand pointed at them? Bo understands Mortal Danger, Dear.

Now, now. Be nice. Charly isn't the only one screwing things up here.

Bo would be very hard to 'harm', as you saw in this chapter. He is by no means invincible. But most things with Bo are the equivalent of walking up and smacking a Sherman tank with a feather duster and expecting results. Your tank may be a little cleaner afterwards, but that's about it.

That will be a long standing question before I answer it in black and white, Dear. Who did the hat sort into Slytherin?

I may not be obligated, Dear. But I do like to try and keep up with things.

The secret Voldemort holds with Katlin, I will tell you, is a physical one. But that's all the help you're getting on that one anymore. And if you get it right, I won't tell you. I'll just refuse to answer.

And if you read it carefully, it is in the story. But, yes, it does take a bit of deductive reasoning.

If (not 'when', folks) Katlin and Orion ever make it to the alter, you can bet the guest list will be short.

Now let me ask you a question. Suppose......suppose Orion learns the story about Katlin's parents was a lie, and suppose he traced it back to Charly. What do you think he would do?

Also, Orion may not be the fastest horse on the track, Dear, but he's persistent. And sometimes, that's a much more dangerous trait.

Point for your side. He never actually said 'I love you'. Least not this time round.

That's all right, Dear. There's a whole lot of people around your pond with their poles in the water too. No one has even come close to the right answer.

Wait. I tell a lie. There was one.........way back there. Dang near hit it on the head with their comment. Told them so in the reviews. Can't remember their name though. But ti was the closest anyone has ever come.

Why doesn't what happen with any of the former hosts, Dear?

The former hosts don't exactly die 'normally', Dear. Unless you consider rant-assed crazy 'normal'. Every former host died insane.

Well, what did Albus get from befriending her in the first place? Perhaps the man just honestly likes her. Katlin is a very interesting person.

Come on now. I said 'who think they know everything'.

The wizard in the north (bit more information than I should be giving out, but oh well) is the person who instigated everything that is currently happening. Based on that, one would think he knows what's going on. Problem is, other factors have become involved that have messed with an otherwise very tight, very neat little package, and completely screwed things up. Such is life.

Nope. He's not wise enough to know he doesn't know everything, Dear. He thinks he knows everything. Just like everyone else.

Ummm....., you lost me, Dear. First, Bo didn't want Orion to get rid of his second wand. He had a preference, but he never voiced it. He has no connection to the second wand. That is strictly connected to Orion. No one else.

Skahducky:

Oh no, Dear! Don't disregard it. It was very important.

Who is the third party interested in, Dear? Why, Bo.

Where do things go from here? You're reading in the past, Dear. This has all obviously already happened. (Several readers walk off in disgust, having not realized this.) Sorry, guys!

This story ends at Voldemort's downfall. The next story, Runaway, actually takes place during the last few weeks of Family Life. Kind of an 'inserted' story. Then you have Family Relations, which picks where Family Life left off, with only a short interval inbetween.

You ASSUME this has a happy ending? Phfffffffttt! You don't know me very well, do you!?

Well, nothing 'suddenly' sparked Orion's interest to take Harry away from Sirius. This is where your fifteen (?) year interlude comes in, Dear. Voldemort's downfall, Sirius going to Azkaban, Harry going to Hogwarts,............. Family Life.

There was a lot of discussion a few chapters ago as to whether or not Orion had kids at any point in what you've read. After much discussion, consideration, and timeline arrangements, the answer came out as 'no'. In nothing you've read, or in anything you will read in the near future, does anyone call Orion Black 'Daddy'.

I don't remember saying he was married.

All reviews are as of 05232004.

And remember;

Problem with Italian food is, three or four days later, you're hungry again. 


	53. Chapter FortyThree: Evasion TacticsRevi...

A/N: As always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Mine? Right! Oh, please!

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: EVASION TACTICS-REVISED

Katlin's hand instantly covered her mouth, a slight sound being all that escaped.

Orion Black.

She knew that name. As did every Deatheater. He was one of the most hated Aurors among them. But why would Sier have such a document?

Maybe Sier was connected to the man somehow.

Katlin felt her frantic mind calm slightly at the thought. That was it! Sier was a relative. Didn't Black have a brother?

Katlin racked her brain. What was the man's name? Sier..........Sirius!

That was it! 'Sier' must be a nickname of some sort. Short for 'Sirius'. And that made him Orion Black's brother.

Katlin all but breathed a sigh of relief. That explained as well for her why he didn't want to tell her his last name. He was a Black. He was afraid she would hate him as well because of his brother. Because Orion was an Auror.

Katlin happily went back to sorting things out. She certainly had enough other things to occupy her mind. The night before she and Sier had chosen a date for the wedding. Just five short days away. There was so much to do. And now that she had an explanation for her fiancee's mysterious shielding of his last name, things looked a good deal clearer to her. So his brother was an Auror. She had no idea if Sier held the same beliefs or not. How could he? He was dating her. They were getting married. And he said he didn't get involved in other people's politics.

Yes, everything was right back on track.

Katlin's happy pasting together of facts came to an abrupt end.

Sirius Black?

She suddenly realized she knew that name as well. Sirius Black was also an Auror. And why did he have a commendation document for his brother?

Katlin spun about and quickly began tearing through papers on the desk behind her. The mass of black robes shadowed her, looking over her shoulder at what she was doing, but made no attempt to stop her. Katlin pulled out another piece of parchment on which the name Orion Black was signed on the bottom. She tossed it aside and went on with her frantic search. Soon she found another document with the same name on it. Then several others.

Letters.

Receipts.

Bank papers.

All with the same name.

Katlin turned in absolute fury to the creature behind her, a stash of the papers clutched tightly in her hand.

"Orion Black!" She shrieked at the creature. "It isn't his brother. He isn't Sier!" She screamed, pointing to the ceiling. "That man.......that bastard.......that filthy, disgusting, abhorrent, lying..........." Words finally failed her as she threw the papers to the floor in anger. "He lied to me! He lied! He's an Auror! A filthy, rotten............," the rest came out in a low growl, ".......dead Auror."

Katlin made straight for the door to the room. But the tower of black robes moved with her, placing itself in front of her at the last minute and blocking the exit.

Katlin stepped back from the creature, pulling out her wand.

"Get out of my way!" she warned.

The creature reached out a robe covered hand. Katlin pulled back instinctively as she fired off a spell at the creature before her.

The spell struck home with little doubt. But the instant it made contact with the creature it fanned out in waves, effectively washing over the form in the black robes and finally simply dissolving.

But the creature kept reaching for her until it touched its hand to her forehead.

Instantly the Deatheater collapsed, crumpling in a heap to the floor.

Bo stood for several minutes, anxiously tapping the tips of his fingers together as he stared down at the woman laying on the floor.

This simply wasn't good.

****

(Scene Change)

Upstairs Orion lay in bed as his worried partner gave him an appraising once over.

"Well, you're still alive. Bo's actually good for something."

"He's been doing just fine, Charly. Pile of laundry's a natural healer." Orion rubbed the back of his neck with a slight wince. "I just wish I knew what Treaks hit me with."

Charly gave his partner a small smile. "He just got off a luck hit, Orion. That's all."

But the man in the bed shook his head. "It wasn't a lucky shot, Charly. It was a trap. A well laid one. And I walked right into it."

"Deatheaters are always mucking about with spells, Mate. You know that. Probably just a variation of one."

Orion shook his head, wincing again. "Charly, I didn't even recognize this one. It was like.............having something put under your nose with your eyes closed and someone tells you what it is. You know what you expect it to smell like. But what you expect and what you smell turn out to be two totally different things. It was just.........I've never felt that kind of magic before."

Charly paled slightly at his partner's description. "Was it dark magic, do you think?"

Orion shook his head again. "I know dark magic, Charly. This was......direct. It had one purpose. To attack. It was just..............," Orion paused, then gave up, "I've just never felt anything like it. And it worries me that the Deatheaters might have something that powerful. What if they........."

Orion never got to finish what he was going to say. Abruptly the tower of dark robes materialized at the foot of Orion's bed and instantly launched into a rapid series of gestures. Both men watched the boggart with undivided attention when Charly suddenly spoke up right in the middle of Bo's rapid gesturing.

"Here! What does he mean 'she's down in the study'?" Charly ask, turning quickly to his partner.

Bo suddenly looked up at Charly as though he hadn't even seen him there to begin with. Instantly he stopped gesturing and hid both hands out of sight behind his back. Standing up to his full height, the boggart did a very good impression of looking innocent.

"Bo, whose down in the study?" Charly asked again.

The boggart quickly turned his head to Orion, then back to Charly, making a quick gesture.

"No one." Charly said in a less than convinced voice. "You popped up here to tell Orion no one was in the study?"

The boggart offered no further explanations.

"Right." Charly stated, getting up from the chair. "We'll see about that then."

Orion simply sighed at the whole display as he watched his partner storm out of the room. He knew he had a few moments at least before Charly made it to the study.

"All right, Bo." he stated. "Tell me again."

Bo immediately launched into his explanation. But Orion brought it to a quick halt as he waved his hand at him.

"Wait! Wait, wait, wait." he stated. "She found 'what'?"

The boggart repeated the gesture.

"Papers? What sort of papers?" But Orion suddenly remembered Charly and quickly pulled the sheets back as he pulled himself up in the bed. "All right, never mind." he told the mass of black robes, holding his hand out to the boggart as he swung his feet off the bed. "Just show me. I'll sort things out from there."

Bo carefully wrapped a robe covered arm about his friend and in the next second Orion found himself standing in the study, though only because Bo was still supporting him. Before him Katlin still lay unconscious on the floor.

The boggart pointed emphatically at the collapsed form.

"Yes, yes. I see." Orion stated, working his way over to her by way of chairs and desks that he held onto.

Just as he reached the collapsed form, Charly came storming through the doors.

"That had best be a hooker you picked up at a bar, Mate!" he stated as he stormed across the room, reaching his partner just as Orion was turning a still stunned Katlin over. Catching sight of her face, Charly looked everything but surprised. "Oh, good." he stated in low tone. "It is."  
Orion frowned up at him, then turned back to Bo.

"Why is she unconscious, Bo?" he asked.

The boggart went through a series of gestures.

"We're back to the papers again?" Orion asked with a puzzled frown.

But Charly was already picking the crumpled pile of parchments off the floor and looking over each one in turn.

"Oh, she was a busy little girl." he stated, turning back to Orion. "She's got a handful of parchments here. Letters, statements, even papers from the Ministry........all with your name on them." Charly paused as he handed the papers off to his partner. "Mate, she found out who you were and she obviously wasn't happy about it."

"You don't know that." Orion stated, although he sounded more like he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

Charly turned to the boggart. "Bo, why did you stun her?" he asked, pointing to the collapsed woman.

Bo made a quick series of gestures, to which Charly turned slowly back to his partner. "Because she was going to kill the Auror." he translated. "Oh yeah. She was thrilled."

Orion paused as he slowly lowered himself into a chair with Bo's help.

"Orion," Charly said, walking over to him, "It's all hit the fan now. She knows who you are. She knows you're an Auror. And she's going with her instincts here. What she knows. What she's been taught. Kill Aurors."

"So what would you have me do?" Orion asked as he stared at the collapsed form. "Turn her over to the ministry?"

"Orion," Charly said quietly, crouching in front of his partner as he looked up at him, "it's gotten out of hand, mate. You tried. It didn't work. You tried again, it still didn't work. How many times are you going to put yourself...put her...through this? The situation isn't good, and you need to end it. Once and for all."

"How?" came the barely audible answer.

Charly thought fast. Orion was at least listening to reason....for the moment. But he was afraid of how fast that might change.

"We'll get Dumbledore. Have him expand the memory charm. Just get rid of the last few days."

"We can't go back to Dumbledore." Orion replied quietly. "The old man will kill me."

"Better him than her." Charly replied, pointing behind him at the unconscious woman. "Now, she's only been seeing 'Sier' for a short time. No one at the lair likely even knows about you yet. Dumbledore can redo the Memory Charm and we'll just leave her near the lair. Like we did before. All right?"

Orion sighed as he focused his attention solely on the figure on the floor.

"I messed up, Charly. Again."

"'Fraid so, mate." his partner offered sympathetically.

"I swore I wouldn't this time. I would find a way to make this work."

"Orion, you were lying to her from square one. How were you going to make a pack of lies work? Now you tried..., again. It still didn't work. Now.....sometimes proving you love someone comes at the price of having to admit that they are better off without you than with you."

Orion didn't answer him, but kept his attention focused where it was.

"Orion," Charly said quietly, "if she comes round, she's going to try and kill you. And she might get lucky. Now, it's over. You can't explain things away anymore. You know what you have to do."

Orion paused as he closed his eyes, a thin trail of a tear running down one cheek. But finally he nodded in answer to Charly's statement.

"We'll take her to Dumbledore." Charly suggested. "We'll explain to him what happened..................."

The suggestion was met with a short, choked laugh. "Right." Orion stated. "Go and explain to Dumbledore how all this happened. He will absolutely love that."

"Then what would you suggest? Neither of us is that good at Memory Charms. Least of all to manipulate one this selectively."

Orion paused as his gaze slowly drifted to the figure standing silently over the collapsed form.

"Bo can do it." He stated in a very tired, very worn voice.

"Bo?" Charly asked in disbelief. "Mate, are you crazy?"

"Bo was teaching me Memory Charms before anything else. He can do it."

Charly gave the man a skeptical look. But Orion was agreeing to allow the Memory Charm, and that was more important to him at the moment that who actually performed it.

"All right." he replied. "But just make sure he gets it right. It's right complicated doing it in bit parts."

Orion didn't make any move to enlist the boggart's help at first, but nor did Charly press him. But after a few moments, Orion finally said, "Bo."

The boggart raised its head and turned to his friend.

"Bo," he ask in the same tired voice without once looking up at the boggart, "can you do a Memory Charm?"

The boggart nodded.

Orion must have seen him nod, because he went on. "And can you do them selectively? Just erase what you want. Not everything."

The boggart nodded again.

Orion paused again for a few minutes, leaning back in the chair as he stared at the ceiling.

"Orion," Charly finally prodded him gently in a low voice, "it for the best. For everyone. You know that."

Orion continued to simply stare at the ceiling for a few more moments, then finally pulled himself back up and pointed at Katlin's collapsed form. "I want you to erase any memory she has of the last few days, Bo. Any memory of me or anything she may have learned. Replace it with random daily events. Nothing that would make her question anything. You understand?"

Bo stood for a few moments, then made a small gesture.

Orion read the gesture, then frowned slightly, but finally just shrugged it off. He was simply too exhausted at that point to play games with the boggart. "Yes. Just like last time, Bo. Do it just the same."

With that final order, Orion pulled himself out of the chair with Charly's help and left the room, never once looking back.

****

(Scene Change)

As soon as he had Orion settled back in his bed and everything else arranged as they discussed, Charly was off to one of the lower town bars he and Treaks used as meeting places. He wasn't looking forward to meeting with Treaks that night, but circumstances dictated it this time. It would be the first time he had seen the Deatheater since Orion's capture, and he had a few questions he wanted answered.

The minute Treaks entered the bar Charly swore he could feel the man's presence. It wasn't a feeling he liked. It was more and more becoming a feeling that something wasn't right. A feeling that was fueling his suspicions of the man. But for tonight he needed answers, so he had to try and stay level-headed about things.

"What is it this time, Misser?" the low, cold voice behind him asked as it approached and finally took a seat next to him.

Charly slowly set his drink down on the ring-stained bar counter.

"My partner was captured a few days ago." Charly started out. "By Deatheaters."

He slowly turned to face the man. "I want to know what you had to do with it."

The Deatheaters showed no surprise at the question. Any more than Charly did at the answer.

"Everything."

"He was tortured. Nearly killed." Charly went on in a low, level voice. "What can you possibly tell me that would make me let you walk out of this bar alive tonight?"

Treaks smiled slightly, then gave the man a low, quiet laugh. "My, my. Where is that 'we're both on the same side now' speech of yours, Misser?"

Charly reached over and laid a hand on Treaks arm. But the grip was anything but friendly. "Not when it's my partner."

Treaks pulled up slightly at the ever increasing pressure the fingers were exerting on his lower arm. Finally he wrenched the arm out of the man's grip. "Steady, Misser." Treaks answered with a falsely stable tone. "You're letting your temper show."

Treaks didn't even have time to react as the man next to him suddenly spun about, knocking the bar stool he was sitting on over as he wrapped two clenched fists about the collar of Deatheater's jacket. "He's my partner!" Charly hissed at the man. "And you damn near murdered him. Why!?"

Treaks fought down his fear as he pulled back slightly. He had seen this man in battle and he knew the muggle had a temper. One that could make him as ruthless as any Deatheater. And it came out the worst when Charly felt he had to defend his partner. Treaks was well on his way to his wand when the bartender came to his timely rescue.

"Here! None of that in my place." he stated firmly, a large bat-type stick in his hand. "Take it outside."

Treaks gave the Auror a tight-lipped smile. "You heard the man, Misser. Take it outside."

Charly only released his hold on the man's collar to get a grip on his arm as he practically shoved him through the crowd and out onto the street. One good thing about the places they met, Charly knew too well, was any altercation went practically un-noticed due to such things being so common placed among the clientele.

"Are you quite done wrinkling my jacket now?" Treaks ask in a heated voice as he brushed down his sleeve. But he quickly amended his tone when he caught sight of the cold stare fixed on him. "Fine." he stated. "If you're willing to listen, I'll explain it to you."

"I suggest you talk very fast." came the reply that caused even Treaks to give an involuntary shudder to it.

The muggle had a temper.

And a wand.

Treaks bought himself a few precious minutes by straightening his jacket out again before he turned to face the man eye to eye.

"Your partner was marked for death." he started. "Voldemort had given the order any Auror matching the description given of the one who destroyed the lair was to be killed on sight."

"That's old news." Charly hissed at the man.

"Not this order." Treaks replied. "Voldemort gave the order himself, before all the Deatheaters. Any Auror, tall, thin, with long black hair, was to be killed on sight. To the exclusion of any other." Treaks pulled back with a slight smile. "I did your partner a favor, Misser. I solved his problem for him."

Treaks never even saw the blow coming. A second later he was on the pavement, his jaw feeling like it was near broken. On instinct he went for his wand.

One word, and it was torn out of his grip.

He turned quickly onto his back, only to see Misser standing before him holding the Deatheater's wand tightly in his right hand while his own was pointed in the man's face.

"I'm finding your explanation most unsatisfactory right now." Charly told him in a low, dangerous voice.

"Your partner was going to be killed." Treaks offered up a good deal quicker. "One of the other Deatheaters on that raid where we captured him wanted to be the bait. I talked him out of it. He would have killed your partner, Misser."

"And you just decided to torture him instead?" The wand pressed a little closer.

"I had to do something!" Treaks stated in something very close to a panicked cry. "Don't you understand? I had to give them something. It was all too easy. One on one. If I hadn't come back with him, then I had best have been sitting in a Ministry interrogation room. Because that's the only explanation they would have excepted for his escape."

"What? You never miss?" Charly ask skeptically.

"I've 'missed' too many times." Treaks replied. "Too many times letting your partner go free. Too many times looking the other way. People start to notice things like that, Misser. And if I fall suspect, I might not be there the next time your dear partner needs someone to look the other way. And whoever is in my place might not be quiet so selective. Now, I'm very sorry if Black had to kiss his lovely raven strands goodbye. But that was the price he paid to stay alive this time. Next time maybe I'll just chose a body part instead."

"You planned this." Charly stated with determination in every word.

"That's a lie." Treaks responded with just as much conviction.

"The spell you used to capture him." Charly stated with a cold, mirthless smile. "The master taught it to you weeks ago. I was there. You were planning to use it to capture Orion."

"I planned 'ahead', Misser. Because Magic knows, one of us has to in this."

"And you have five precious seconds to explain that."

"Yes, I planned the capture. I did it in the hopes Black would get focused again. That he would realize how vulnerable he's allowed himself to become. You know I'm telling the truth. You're the one who told me that. You were becoming concerned over his lack of focus. He was becoming careless on missions. Taking un-necessary risks. You said the man acted like he just didn't care anymore."

Treaks watched with an immense feeling of satisfaction as Misser slowly pulled back. The man was listening to all the right words. That's all it took with most people. Just tell them what they want to hear and they'll hear it. You don't even have to force them.

"Now," Treaks stated, his own voice a great deal more under control, "how well was it serving our master's purpose if, after all we've done to protect him and keep him alive, the idiot goes out and, because he's careless, gets himself killed?"

Charly pulled back and turned partially back to the door of the bar. A drink was what he wanted right then more than anything else.

But he had to finish business first.

Turning back about he leveled his wand at the man still on the ground.

"Crucio!"

Treaks let out a scream of pain as he fell back against the pavement. His hands clawing at the air in agony.

Charly had the man by the jacket before the spell even wore off. Yanking him to his feet he pulled the man up until he was staring him right in the eyes.

"And you pray to whatever you believe in that I never find what you've just told me to be anything by the sworn truth."

Treaks barely managed any words past the man's grip, which was dangerously close to choking him. "It's the truth." he rasped out. "I swear it."

Charly released his grip as he threw the man back on the pavement. "Fine. You're so proud of your well thought out plan. Let me tell you what it's gotten you. Orion has been hold up in his house the past few days, basking in the loving care of his own private nurse."

Treaks rubbed his neck as he stared up at the man. "What are you talking about?"

"Griss, the problem you were managing so well, has been playing nursemaid to Orion ever since he escaped. But this time he'd found a way around the Deatheater/Auror problem."

"Which was?"

"He didn't tell her."

"He didn't tell her?"

"He convinced her instead he was a 35 year old Medi-wizard."

Treaks stared back at the man for a moment. "A what?"

"Unfortunately your girl got a bit too curious, and when opportunity came knocking, she opened the door and let it waltz right in."

"Meaning?"

"She got into his study and went on a 'seek and find' mission. And she found plenty. Enough to tell her who he was without question."

Treaks didn't even bother suppressing the smile on his face. "Oh, that must have been just lovely. And you're worried about me killing your partner?"

"She was stopped before she got far enough to do any damage."

"And where is she now?"

"Back at the lair. We redid the Memory Charm, erasing the last few days. That should take care of any time she was with Orion. She won't remember his being captured, being with him, or anything she may have found out in his study."

Treaks frowned at the last part. "Pity."

"I've done my part, Treaks." Charlie stated. "It's time you do yours."

"Mine?"

Charly leaned down and grabbed the man's shirt, yanking him up until he was face to face with him again. He congratulated himself that Treaks once again pulled back from him. "Manage your problem, Treaks." He advised the Deatheaters in a low, level voice.

Treaks quickly pulled himself away from Charly's grip on him. "I intend to." He replied. "I was, in fact, doing just that until your partner decided he didn't like the single life anymore. Now, I would suggest, if we want to be successful this time perhaps it would be best if we could actually keep the two of them apart. In eight days Katlin will be my wife. And that will be the end of her flirtations with Mr. Black."

"You hope." Charly added.

"It will be." Treaks stated a bit firmer. "What I need you to do is for those eight days to keep Black occupied. Surely there must be something you can find for the man to do that will keep him off the prowl for a week."

Charly thought for a moment. But just a quickly a smile came to his lips. "Perhaps there is." He stated.

"Which would be?"

Charly stared stoically back at the Deatheater. "I'll let you know."

Treaks huffed slightly at the man before him, but didn't press for details. In truth he was just as happy to be rid of the Auror tonight.

"One last thing, Treaks." Charly added.

Treaks fully expected 'one last thing' to be the Auror at least returning his wand to him. But the blow he received instead was completely unexpected as it laid him back out on the pavement. He heard the clatter of his wand land next to him as the Auror leaned over and grabbed him by the shirt one last time.

"You touch my partner again and you are a dead man."

With one final shove Charly released the man as he stood back up. Dropping Treaks wand next to him on the pavement, and without once looking back, he turned and walked off into the gathering fog.

****

(Scene Change)

Happily leaving Treaks behind, Charly made his way home. Early the next morning he headed to Hogsmeade, and then onto Hogwarts. Good fortune seemed to smile on him that day as he ran into the castle groundskeeper right at the gates.

"Well now," the tall man regarded the Auror past a suspicious stare, "and who might you be then?"

Charly approached the man cautiously. He had had only passing contact with Remus Hagrid, and the man made him slightly nervous.

"Don't you remember me, Mr. Hagrid?" Charly asked respectfully. The groundskeeper had always appreciated good manners. "I'm Charly Misser. Orion Black's friend."

"Oh!" The larger man commented after a moments thought. "You'd be his little muggle friend then."

Charly politely smiled at the man. He disliked being called a muggle by a wizard. He felt he had at least earned the right to be addressed as an equal. But arguing the point with the groundskeeper wouldn't get him anywhere.

"That's right." he managed past a forced but friendly smile.

"So what brings you here, lad?" Hagrid asked as he stepped aside for Charly.

"Well, I was hoping to see the Headmaster." Charly answered.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Hagrid asked with a puzzled expression. "What would you be wanting to see the Headmaster about?"

"Well, it's about Orion, actually." Charly explained vaguely. "Do you think I could have a word with him?"

The groundskeeper shrugged. "We'll see. He's at the castle, to be sure. Just never sure where."

Charly sighed as he anticipated a lot of walking. But to his relief, the first place they looked, in the Headmaster's office, was where they found him. His next brush with luck was that the old wizard seemed to remember him.

"My, but it has been a long time, Mr. Misser." he commented as Hagrid introduced him. "I believe the last time I saw you was when your young friend and you snuck into the castle over the holidays and tried to lay a few surprise traps in the girls dorms."

Charly paused. "Ummmm...., high spirits, Sir." he offered quietly. "And Orion and I did appreciate you not mentioning that to our parents, Sir."

The old wizard raised an eyebrow, but said nothing more as he offered the Auror a cup of tea.

"Now," he asked, seating himself behind his desk with a cup of his own in hand, "I am curious as to what I might do for you, Mr. Misser?"

"Well, Professor Dumbledore," Charly started, "I came because I'm a bit worried about my par......my friend. About Orion."

"Go on."

"Orion's been through a bad time lately. Just a few days ago he was captured by the Deatheaters. They nearly killed him."

The old wizard's eyes narrowed slightly. "That is most unfortunate, Mr. Misser."

"And Orion, Sir, you know what he can be like. He doesn't care much for sitting about healing when it's exactly what he needs to do."

Dumbledore gave the man a slight smile. "Ah, yes. 'High spirited' as I recall."

Charly paused slightly. "Ummmm...., yes, sir. Very high spirited. The point is, Orion needs something to do that will keep him occupied while his body has a chance to heal."

"A noble idea, Mr. Misser. But I fail to see what I can do to help."

Charly kept as close to his script as possible. The old wizard was no fool. And if he sensed Charly wasn't being completely honest, everything might fall apart on him.

"I understand that Orion set up many of the wards and charms around this school, Sir."

"Mr. Black revised and strengthened many of them." Dumbledore corrected him kindly. "The charms and wards themselves were placed ages ago by the school's founders. Mr. Black merely did some 'maintenance' on them for us."

"Well, Sir," Charly continued, "I was hoping maybe they might be in need of some more 'maintenance'. It would be something Orion could do to keep himself occupied, and it would likely take a few days at least."

Dumbledore considered the request. "Work on the wards about the castle is no small task, Mr. Misser. Are you sure your friend is even up to it?"

"Up to it or not, Sir, it's better he's here trying than out on a mission getting himself blasted by a Deatheater's curse."

Dumbledore sat for a few moments as he sipped at his tea. But finally he set the cup back down as he turned back to his guest.

"Very well, Mr. Misser.' he said. "I will make the request to Orin Bale to allow Mr. Black to come to Hogwarts and do some 'maintenance' work for us. There are several wards around the castle that could use a good refreshing. And Orion was the best student we had at wards."

Charly gave the old wizard a friendly smile. "So he is always telling me, Sir."

****

(Scene Change)

"So, what do you want now, Misser?" Treaks asked as he stood facing the Auror in the alleyway. "Or is this just another chance for you to take another shot at me?"

"I've arranged for Orion to be out of the way for a few days." Charly replied flatly. "You have approximately one week to get your problem solved."

Treaks smiled slightly. "Really? Well, a week should be more than enough time." He stated. "But do tell, what did you manage to come up with to keep the man occupied for a week?"

Charly took a slow, steady breath as he considered whether or not to tell Treaks. But finally he gave a slight shrug. "I arranged for him to go do some work at Hogwarts Castle for the Headmaster there. It should take him about a week to complete the job there."

"How very convenient." Treaks replied.

"Just make the most of it, Treaks." Charly warned. "Because I doubt I can manage this again."

"One week is all I'll need" the Deatheater replied. "After that, Katlin will be my wife. Past that I'm sure all other problems will solve themselves."

"See to it!" Charly stated as he turned and walked off towards the open street.

A small smile crept over Treaks lips as he watched the man disappear into the gathering fog.

"I intend to." He stated quietly.

****

(Scene Change)

Treaks hurried down the corridor, having seen Voldemort turn down it moments before. He quickened his steps until he caught sight of the black robes just ahead of him.

"My lord!" Treaks called as respectfully as he could make it sound.

Voldemort's steps only slowed at the call at first, but eventually stopped as he turned a very disgruntled stare to the man hurrying to catch up to him.

"What is it, Treaks?" he asked. "I am very busy."

"I have no doubt, my lord." Treaks replied in the same near-groveling tone. "But this matter is important. It involves Katlin."

If Treaks thought adding Katlin's name would gain support for his statement, he couldn't have been more wrong. The dark wizard's expression darkened even more as he glared at the man before him.

"I have heard enough from you on this matter, Treaks." he stated in a low, dangerous tone. "If you can not handle matters on your own concerning Katlin, perhaps this marriage isn't such a good idea after all."

Treaks instantly pulled back. He knew Voldemort was never completely in favor of his marriage to Katlin and he had had to do some very good persuading in order to make Voldemort see even the smallest merit in it. But the more Katlin delayed things, the more Treaks pressed the issue with Voldemort, and the more irritated the dark lord was becoming. And perhaps he was right. How well would he be able to handle Katlin as his wife if he couldn't even handle things with her now?

Well, that was a small matter. If things went as he planned now, soon he wouldn't have to worry about that at all.

"I have mis-spoken, my lord." Treaks replied solicitously. "What I meant was only to voice my concern for her as of late."

"Of late?"

Treaks could tell he know had the man's full attention. Just suggest anything was amiss with his beloved head Elite and you had his full attention as with nothing else.

"Katlin hasn't been herself these past few weeks, my lord. I am sure you have seen it yourself. She has been moody, agitated, and very short with the others."

"Perhaps it is just the wedding drawing near." Voldemort suggested almost conversationally. "She's worried with the details."

Treaks paced himself. He had to place every step now with extreme caution.

"I do not think that is it, my lord." he replied cautiously. "Katlin....I have known her for a very long time."

"As have I, Treaks." Voldemort's voice came out hard and cold.

Treaks pulled back again. "More so than anyone, my lord." he amended quickly. "I only meant to point out that I have known her to be like this from before. And it was usually not from anything that was concerning her, but more that she was......bored."

"Bored?" Voldemort turned to face the man fully.

"Katlin hasn't had a mission in some time, my lord." Treaks offered helpfully. "Not one of any significance to her. Something that required any real effort on her part. You have sent her out with the lower ranking Deatheaters. But she doesn't find much challenge in those missions. They're not what she is used to. What she needs to prove, to herself, is she still has value."

"Katlin does not doubt her value with me."

Treaks pulled back slightly. "With all due respect, my lord, how have you allowed her to redeem herself since her last punishment? By assigning her to lower ranking tasks? She perhaps feels you do not trust her with anything more serious yet. Such a thing would definitely weaken her spirits, to feel she wasn't serving you as well as she could."

Voldemort stared at the man for a very long time.

Treaks did his very best to maintain a neutral air about himself. He was just offering a suggestion, he firmly told him over and over. Nothing more.

Finally Voldemort spoke again. And his words carried a clear warning if Treaks were misleading him. "And you have some suggestion to offer?"

"Katlin only seeks to serve you, my lord." Treaks replied earnestly. "She is happiest when she do that. Give her a mission to go on. Something of some importance to allow her to prove herself to you again if only in her own eyes."

Voldemort thought for a moment, but finally nodded slightly. "Perhaps you have a valid point." he replied, his voice a good deal less frosted.

Treaks smiled. The dark lord was listening to him.

"Perhaps I can find something........"

"If I might offer a suggestion, my lord?" Treaks spoke up, but quickly cursed his eagerness as Voldemort's stare darkened again.

"A suggestion?" he practically growled at the man.

"Only if you think it is worthy of her, my lord." Treaks offered. "But I can, of course, only hope you will see merit in it."

"Speak."

Treaks fought with himself to keep the smile off his lips. He had to make this good.

"At Dumbledore's castle two of your enemies are residing. The Auror, Orion Black, and Severus Snape, who you yourself have suspected as turning traitor to your noble cause. Sending Katlin there could eliminate both of them in one night, and further secure your position in the growing turmoil in the wizarding community."

Voldemort stared down at the man.

"She is only seeking to prove herself to you, my lord." Treaks repeated. "It would please her to know she had done so. And likely raise her spirits immensely."

Voldemort continued to stare at the man without saying a word. but finally he turned and walked off down the hallway.

"I will consider your words, Treaks. In the meantime, tell Katlin I wish to see her in my chambers when she is available."

Treaks didn't bother hiding his smile this time.

"At once, my lord."


	54. Chapter FortyFour: Dreams

A/N: You know that little voice in the back of your head that tells you to do things? The one we all have? And the suggestions it makes are usually pretty good ones? Yes, yes, the one we all never listen to.

Well, I've come to the conclusion the world would be a better place if we would all listen to that little voice a bit more often. And I'll tell you why.

That little voice suggested to me, practically screamed, in fact, not to post that last chapter until Wednesday because I was missing some things. But I wanted to post it Sunday, and I rushed it through production.

So, what did I get for my effort? A re-write.

Folks, I missed some BIG stuff. Left it right out of that chapter.

So, a word of advice. Please, for yourselves, go back and re-read chapter 43. I'm telling you, you missed some important stuff.

But should you care not too, and to show I'm a decent sort, especially since the error was mine. I'll tell you what you missed.

First, about a thousand words added to that chapter.

Next, Treaks suggested to Charly that he would take care of the problem of Katlin by getting her married. But as that that was still eight days away, Charly had to find something for Orion to do to keep him occupied for those eight days.

Next, Charly, believing he had the perfect solution, went to Dumbledore and convinced him to allow Orion to come to the castle and work on redoing a few of the wards protecting the castle. This would take about.........ohhhhh.....eight days.

Next, Charly told Treaks what his plan was to keep Orion occupied for eight days.

And lastly, Voldemort never agreed to Treaks' plan to send Katlin on a mission. He only said he would 'consider it'.

Confused? I'm forming a club.

And if you're not yet, wait until you get to the end of this chapter.

One other thing connected to story errors. Might as well get them all out of the way now. Silverfox ask a question, (Gold star to you, Dear.)() about the secret between Voldemort and Katlin. She's working really hard on this one, but I neglected to give a piece of information as far as I can tell, looking back over the story. When Katlin first went into the cellar (everybody remember that?), Orion sent her back upstairs and he had a little talk with Bo about how to treat guests. Well, in that conversation, Bo pointed out to Orion that he sensed a 'foreign magic' about Katlin. What does that mean? Go read Silverfox's answer. I'm not retyping all that. Phffffft!

Also, over the next two weeks my parents have family coming to visit, and I have to help with dinners and such. So don't be surprised if I am late. After all, this was.

But still, as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I swear, not me. This person keeps coming in my house and using my computer. I have no idea what for.

****

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR: DREAMS

Treaks all but ran down the corridor towards Katlin's rooms. He wasn't sure why Voldemort wanted to see his head Elite. Perhaps to discuss the possibility of the mission with her. To see if he felt she was up to it.

Or perhaps he was planning an early evening cup of tea with her.

Treaks was never really sure what Voldemort and Katlin did when they were alone together. Although he had several ideas. A few of which were not mentionable in polite company.

But tonight he hoped he had steered Voldemort's thoughts in the right direction. A mission for his top Elite. And if that was what the dark lord wanted to see her about, then the faster he got her to Voldemort, the faster he would have her off on her mission.

And the faster his problems would be solved.

Treaks all but giggled with glee at the idea.

Send her on a mission. That was the answer to all his problems. Those with his loving fiancee and her dark lord.

Treaks had no doubt Katlin would never survive the mission. At the very least she would be captured. Black was no fool. And Katlin was no match against him in her present state. Even before the second Memory Charm Treaks had begun to notice that Katlin was getting badly distracted. He would find her in her rooms at the lair simply sitting and staring at the wall. He would practically have to stand next to her and yell to get her attention. And in battles she had steadily deteriorating in her skills. She had even been captured once, he had been told. The story of how she escaped varied, but she had managed it.

After that she seemed to be shadowed by luck. In battles the Aurors all but ignored her. She had been stunned in one battle, but nothing worse. Aurors never stunned. Not unless they planned to take a captive. But she had been left behind.

Treaks shook the old thoughts off. It didn't matter. Eight days. Maybe less, depending on if he could convince Voldemort of the cure to Katlin's current problems.

And once she was gone, he only had to stand aside and let the circumstances work towards the dark lord's own destruction. To make the mission sound like Voldemort's own idea. That was the trick. Convince him to send her to the castle and think it was his brilliant idea.

Treaks chuckled this time to himself. 'His brilliant idea'. A brilliant idea that would get his top Elite killed. On a mission he had sanctioned himself.

Voldemort would never survive the guilt alone. His word would have been what sent his beloved Elite to her death. His alone.

The man would go mad with grief within a week.

After that, the Deatheaters would turn to the next in line for guidance. Voldemort would be out of the way. Katlin would likely be dead. Next in line would be him.

Leader of the Deatheaters.

Treaks smiled at the idea. This fooling around Voldemort was doing with his followers would end on that day. On that day the Ministry would learn that the Deatheaters were not just a little group of malcontents to be harassed for fun from time to time. On that day he would stand before all the Deatheaters and the Elite and proclaim to them that their day had come when they would control the wizarding community.

On that day.........he would be the dark lord.

And what a glorious day it would be.

Treaks was still wrapped up in his revelry by the time he got to the door to Katlin's rooms. He wrapped his hand about the door handle, prepared to open the door and walk right in. He didn't care if she yelled at him for it. If things worked out, it would be the last time.

But the door refused to yield, and he instead ran smack into it.

Pulling back, Treaks tried the door again.

Locked!

Katlin never locked her door.

Treaks pounded on the door.

"Katlin!" he called. "Katlin, it's Johnathan. Open up, Love. I need to talk to you."

A lone Deatheater came down the corridor. But they quickened their pace considerably as they passed the man at the door, just catching the dark stare he gave them as they rushed past.

Johnathan turned back to the door. Wonderful. Now he looked like a desperate fool pounding on his fiancee's bedroom door. One more thing the woman would pay for. Treaks pulled out his wand, ready to blast the door open if he had too. But he quickly stopped himself. That sort of display would not show well before the dark lord. And might possibly fuel any last minute arguments Katlin might bring up to postpone the wedding.........again.

"Katlin!" Johnathan yelled at the door as he slipped his wand back into his robe pocket. "Open the door! I haven't time for this."

Treaks waited at the door, fully expecting it to open any moment. But after several minutes of standing there, feeling more foolish with each passing second, he finally turned and stormed off down the corridor.

It was possible, of course, she simply wasn't there. Thankfully, from what Misser had told him, she at least wasn't with the Auror that night either. That would leave her apartment. And she could keep him out of there as long as she wanted. It was simply too well protected.

Treaks glared at a lower ranking Deatheater who carefully slipped past him in the corridor. If she wanted to play games, that was fine by him. She could only keep it up so long.

Eventually he would deliver the dark lord's message.

And in due course, she would get her assignment.

****

(Scene change)

Behind the door to her rooms, Katlin gave a relieved sigh as she heard the angry footsteps leaving her doorway.

What did the man possibly want this time?

Not that it mattered. She wasn't in the mood to deal with him. All she wanted at that moment was a good nights sleep.

She rested a hand over her forehead. The headache she had woken up with that morning had stayed with her all day. And no potion or cure seemed to be able to relieve it. She must have been over-working herself in the last few days. She didn't even remember going to bed the night before. And when she had woken up in her bed at her apartment, she at first couldn't even place where she was.

And the whole day had seemed to follow that pattern. Deciding what she needed was a good rest, she had allowed herself to go back to sleep for a few more hours that morning. But the dream she had had woke her with a terribly disturbing feeling. Not that the dream itself was bad. Oh no. Katlin positively hugged herself as she anticipated its return that night.

In it she had been in a large, white canopied bed with pure white satin sheets. All night long she had laid in the arms of a man whose touch alone peaked her senses and sent a shudder through her whole body. And making love to him.........she simply didn't have words to describe how absolutely perfect it was. He was attentive, gentle, loving..........everything she had never known men to be. When he said her name, it was said with such love she had no doubt of the passion he felt for her. And every word he spoke echoed that same burning need. One that was her's alone.

But of course it was her's. The man was her fantasy. Perfect. Loving. Attentive. Caring. What every woman dreamed of.

The only problem with the dream was that she couldn't see his face at all. Bits. Pieces. Blurred visions. She simply couldn't recall what the man looked like when she had woken up.

It was a hard price to pay for the dream. But she retained most of it, so she felt the pay-off wasn't so bad.

With a sigh she turned back to the room behind her. It was getting late, and she was tired. There was no point in trying to go home tonight. It suited her just as well to sleep in her rooms at the lair tonight. Besides, Johnathan was probably headed to her apartment by now.

What was the matter with the man? In eight short days they were to be married. Couldn't he leave her alone for that long?

Well, want to or not, he was going to. If he thought she couldn't avoid him for eight days, he had best think again.

Making sure once more the door was locked and spelled to keep out anyone but Voldemort, she headed for her bedroom. 

Katlin gave a contented sigh as she pulled herself into her bed and under the covers, still thinking of the man in her dream. But a second form suddenly seeped into her thoughts.

Johnathan Treaks.

Katlin frowned as she studied the other form. Studied its face in careful detail.

No. The man in her dreams was definitely not Johnathan. The man in her dream had been a bit thinner, but more powerfully built. And when he looked at her, all she saw in his eyes was love.

When Johnathan looked at her, all she saw was his ambition.

Katlin shook her head, clearing the image from it. She never even tried to fool herself into thinking Johnathan loved her. Something that irked her to begin with. Most men fell instantly in love with her. But all Johnathan seemed to love was her position and her power. Marrying her would further him politically as nothing else could. She was, in fact, the one barrier he could not surpass in his ambitious climb to power within the lair. In that regard, he had gone as far as anyone could without drastic measures. No one could surpass her position with the Deatheaters or the Elite. Not by their skill and not by their standing. She could without question best any of them. And none could reach the status in Voldemort's eyes that she held. So Johnathan had found a way to circumvent her. If he couldn't surpass her, he would simply get her out of the way. As his wife, her position may not change, but his would. He would have a clearer path to the dark lord. Have more of his ear than he already did. He would finally have the power he currently craved. And she would be trapped into a marriage based solely on his ambitious hunger for power.

Katlin sighed unhappily. But a small smile slowly crept across her lips as the image in her dream came back to her.

Oh well. If she was doomed to a loveless marriage, she could at least indulge her fantasies. And this was rapidly becoming one of her favorites.

As Katlin scooted down under the covers, she turned her thoughts as steadily as she could to one, intriguing subject. Her dream. If she closed her eyes, she could picture most him as well as if he were standing before her. Right up to his face. She concentrated on that the hardest. In the dream she had seen bits and pieces of his face, but nothing clearly. So she had to put things together from there. She started with what she knew for sure. His eyes. They were grey. But not a cold grey. A soft, loving, deep color that she could stare into all night.

And his hair. Well, that had been easy. It was black. Long, black, and as soft as silk. She had run her fingers through it a hundred time or more in her dream. She loved the feeling of it as it would cascade off his back and fall over her like a soft sheet of satin. She positively had fallen in love with that hair.

A happy, expectant smile crossed her lips as she stared harder at her dream through closed eyes.

But abruptly her eyes snapped opened and she sat bolt upright in the bed.

Something in the back of her mind, a fleeting glance, had crossed her memory. Nothing she could grab hold of. But something she had seen clearly enough.

It was a man she had seen before.

There had been the battle with the Aurors a few weeks ago. One of them had captured her. Nearly killed her. But he had stopped abruptly. Right in the middle of a killing curse. And then he had let her go. Helped her escape with the others. The man had looked similar to the one in her dreams, but she really hadn't paid much attention at the time. She thought she was facing a killing curse for sure. And then when the man had let her go, all she was thinking of was getting to the others before they disapparated. Katlin stubbornly shook her head. No. That couldn't be right. The man in her dream had long hair. The Auror's hair had been short. Or at least it looked like it. Stuffed under his own robes, it was hard to tell.

Katlin went back to studying the ceiling as a new thought crept into her mind. Why had the Auror let her go? Helping to her to escape. And right in the middle of a battle. Surely others saw. Other Aurors.

Katlin sank back into her pillows. She didn't really want to be thinking about this. She wanted to think about her dream. Hoping if she concentrated enough, it would come back.

Katlin laid back against the pillows in her bed. But the Auror persisted in placing himself in front of her dream now that she had let him into her thoughts.

Blasted Aurors. Even in her dreams they wouldn't leave her alone.

But why did this one stay with such determination. She tried dismissing him, but that didn't work for very long.

So, who was he, and where did she know him from?

Katlin sat up in the bed and thought. She had seen the Auror once before in a battle. But her mind wasn't letting things rest there. She had seen him somewhere else. She was sure of it. But where?

As her mind frantically ran over the last few weeks, she found her answer. The night she and Johnathan had gone out with friends for Johnathan to celebrate their announcement of a wedding date. A man leaving the restaurant with his friend had nearly fallen over her, apparently having had a good bit too much to drink. She had seen him earlier in the restaurant. Had thought she recognized him. But Johnathan had distracted her attention away from him. And when he had all but fallen over her at the table she hadn't even then gotten a good look. Again Johnathan had distracted her attention away from the man, and his friend had moved them past so quickly she hadn't gotten a second look.

Katlin shook her head as she fell back on the bed.

This was stupid. She went from a dream to suddenly convincing herself she was seeing the man in reality now.

Was she honestly getting that desperate?

Another thought slowly crept into her mind. Last night wasn't the first night she had had that dream.

Katlin's eyes snapped open again.

She had had it before. Abruptly it came back to her like something long forgotten that she just suddenly was able to recall. But the image didn't seem exactly the same. The man seemed a bit different. Not in any way she could put her finger on. But the man in her first dream was different somehow.

What was different?

The hair. In the other dream the man's hair had been short, not long like the first one.

Katlin tried to work to calm her thoughts that were now running so quickly through her mind she could hardly keep up with them before one was cut short and another took its place.

Where had this dream come from? Was it just a happy coincidence, or, as she thought early, was she just getting that desperate? And where had she pulled this man in her dreams from?

But abruptly an idea popped into her mind. One that seemed to almost instantly put a stop to her frantic questions.

She had been with other men. Some were casual acquaintances, who she would meet, go out with, seduced for their secrets, and then leave them just as casually. To her it was nothing more than part of her work. This man in her memory must have been one of them. Someone from her past who she didn't even bother to remember. Or maybe he was something her mind had put together based on some part of the others in her past. Some point about them she did remember while forgetting the rest. That would explain his face not being very clear. He wasn't any one person, but a combination of several.

And the second man, he was the same, just with shorter hair.

Katlin gave a satisfied sigh as she scooted back down in the bed. Yes, this is what came from too long of a dry spell. She had no man in her life that she cared about, so her mind conjured one up for her out of the past.

She thought back over the man in her dream, silently congratulating herself as she realized the man didn't have one single characteristic from Johnathan that she could find.

With a steady yawn, Katlin settled back into the bed. All the wild thoughts that had been running through her mind hadn't helped her headache one bit. If anything, it was worse now, and she was doubting she would get any sleep. But resolved to try, she hugged her pillow tightly to her and tried to think of nothing at all as she drifted off to sleep.

That night the dream returned with startling clarity. Katlin awoke to what at first was a pleasant memory. But as reality settled in, she felt a tremor of fear run through her body. Every move the man in her dream had made, every touch, had been as though he were lying right beside her. But this time the man had a face. One she saw as clear as day.

The face of the Auror.

Katlin shook her head, trying to clear it. She was truly beginning to fear she was losing her mind. The dream was becoming all too real to her.

But it wasn't real. That was just some fantasy her mind created for her.

But why was he suddenly there every time she turned around?

Katlin's mind abruptly jumped back to the battle. In the middle of a battle, the Auror had let her go? Why hadn't he killed her? Even if he was just some nameless encounter on a mission for her, who had developed some unfortunate attachment to her, he was still an Auror. In the middle of a battle, his only thought should have been to kill her.

Katlin felt a cold sweat begin to break out over her body. Endless thoughts and endless questions, all with no answer.

Slowly Katlin scooted back down in her bed, pulling the covers up close to her chin. Sleep was beginning to lose it's appeal all too quickly tonight. If all she was going to do was have these dreams, she would rather stay awake.

It wasn't, of course, that the dreams themselves were disturbing. Quite to the contrary. If she knew who the man was, it would be all anyone could do to keep her out of bed and awake. They were so vivid, and so tantalizingly erotic she had been looking forward to it that night. But to have her mind pull up the face of an Auror?

And so she resolved to lay there through the night, staring at the ceiling as she try to figure out why her mind had placed the Auror's face on her dream. That was most definitely not what she wanted.

As strong as her resolve may have been, Katlin found there simply was no fighting exhaustion. Slowly but surely the plain white ceiling above her faded into a blurred haze as her eyes finally closed to the overpowering demand of sleep.

Once more a dream intruded on her otherwise peaceful sleep. But this time the dream had changed. This time she wasn't comfortably escombed in any bed with her attentive lover. She was instead running through a fog covered moor in the dark hours of the night. Soft sounds behind her kept her checking over her shoulder as she ran. The sounds were getting closer each time she heard them. And no matter how hard she ran, it seemed they managed to keep up with her easily. She turned over her shoulder once more as a sound caught her attention. But just as she assured herself no one was there, she ran head long into a solid object in her path. Turning about abruptly, Katlin suddenly found herself face to face with her dream again. Her dream with the Auror's face. The man didn't say a word to her. But just as abruptly as he appeared, the vision shifted, then vanished. And in its place stood Treaks, staring down at her and looking angrier than Katlin ever remembered seeing him before. He pointed a long finger down at her as she sat where she had fallen on the ground.

"Traitor!" He shouted at her.

Katlin awoke with a start.

The first thing she noticed was that her arms and face felt wet. Like she had been out in the rain. Or a heavy fog.

Recalling her dream, Katlin suddenly felt a rush of fear run down her spine. She hadn't been there. It was just sweat. The dream had frightened her.

But if that was true, why weren't the sheets wet? Or the pillows? The sweat seemed only to cling to her. Nothing else.

Katlin pulled quickly out of the bed and ran to the window. In the lair windows were almost unheard of. But she had begged for one. And so she had gotten her wish, which was more of a deep tunnel set against a wall. But it allowed her to see outside just the same.

Staring out, she could hardly see anything past a few yards due to the thick fog that settled like a sheet over everything beyond the window.

Katlin slowly stepped back from the window. She hadn't been outside. She would know if she had been. Even if she had been sleep walking, someone would have seen her. One of the guards.

In her retreat from the window, Katlin abruptly bumped into a table behind her, sending a small metal pitcher crashing to the floor.

The sound was enough to shatter her fragile remaining nerves. With a cry of surprise and panic, Katlin ran from the sound, nearly crashing headlong into the door as she grabbed the handle, pulled the locks, and yanked it open, bolting from the room as quickly as her legs would carry her.

Through her scattered senses she oriented herself as quickly as she could. She formed a map in her mind, one that took her exactly where she wanted to go. The only place she felt offered any safety for her.

Within minutes Katlin arrived at the doorway she was looking for. Two large ornate doors guarded the room within. Barging in was not advised even in the worst of circumstances. And so Katlin contented herself with assaulting the doors with a barrage of frantic poundings. All the while screaming for the person within to open for her and let her in.

Her wait was not a long one. Within only seconds of her arrival at the doors, they both suddenly swung open. Without hesitation, Katlin flung herself into Voldemort's arms, crying near hysterics as she sought the only safety and comfort she had known for so many years.

Without a word, Voldemort quickly ushered her inside, closing the doors behind her and placing a quick silencing spell on them.

"Katlin!" He gently admonished her, easing her back. "What is this? What sort of display is this to bring to my doors at this hour?"

Katlin flung herself back into his arms. "Make him stop!" She cried. "Make him go away and leave me alone! I can't face one more night of this! It will drive me insane. I swear it!"

Voldemort quickly directed Katlin to a large sofa behind them and set about trying to calm her down. He wasn't going to get anywhere with her as hysterical as she was being. A point that worried him more than anything else. Katlin may be many things. But one thing she never was, was hysterical.

"Katlin?" He questioned her, crouching in front of her as she hid her face in her hands. "Who is it you want me to make stop? What are they doing to you?"

"He is driving me crazy." Katlin practically wailed back at him. "Every night. It is the same dream. And then tonight the dream changed. And he was there.......and then.....then the other....and he.....he was so angry at me. And he called me a traitor." Katlin firmly met Voldemort's gaze. "I am no traitor!" She cried. "I would never betray you. Not for anything this world could offer me. Why would he call me that? Why?"

"Who, little one?" Voldemort asked, trying to keep his own voice level. "Who called you such a thing?"

"Johnathan!"

"Johnathan? Why?"

"I don't know."

Voldemort sat studying her for a few moments. "Tell me about your dreams." He said finally.

Katlin thought for a moment. She hadn't thought far enough ahead to think that was something Voldemort would ask of her. And she certainly couldn't tell him about all of them. Especially considering their content. So she settle on the most recent one. Which was the most decent of them. When she got to the end Voldemort sat staring thoughtfully at her. Something that left Katlin feeling a little nervous. What of he thought she was just over-reacting? She would seem like just some foolish female in his opinion, unable to deal with something as simple as a dream.

But when Voldemort did finally speak, he did not seem to be dismissing her dream as frivolous at all.

"When did these dreams start?" He asked her in a calm, quiet tone.

"A few weeks ago." Katlin answered with a slightly unsteady voice.

"Are they always the same?"

Katlin nodded. "Except for tonight. Johnathan was never in them before."

"What about the other man?"

Katlin nodded. "But he never hurt me. Or threatened me. He always been.........very kind."

"Do you know him?"

Katlin shook her head.

Voldemort sighed as he took to staring at her again in silence. But finally he leaned forward. "All right, Katlin." he said in a gentle tone. "I will see if I can not find out what is wrong. Now," he took her face in his hands, "it is time for you to go to sleep, little one."

Instantly Katlin felt consciousness slip away. But she didn't fight it. She knew what Voldemort was doing and why. He thought she might be under a spell. And checking for such a thing was best done of the person wasn't awake at the time. Random thoughts made the process that much more difficult.

What felt like only moments later, Katlin woke up in her own bed, being gently prodded awake. She opened her eyes to the worried stare of Voldemort.

Katlin looked about for a minute, getting her bearings back, then turned quickly back to the man next to her bed.

"Well!?" she asked eagerly.

Voldemort paused, then shook his head. "I am sorry, Katlin........."

Katlin pulled up abruptly in the bed. "But.......but you must have found something?"

Voldemort shook his head again. "I am sorry. No. there was nothing there."

Katlin turned a dismal stare to the sheet resting now in her lap.

"Katlin, little one, look at me."

Slowly Katlin turned her eyes back to the man next to her. Somehow she felt it was a disgrace just to have her look at him now. She had failed him. She wasn't strong. She wasn't resilient. She was weak. Beaten down by a simple dream.

But mostly, she was ashamed. She had failed him. Failed to be what he thought she was. What he needed her to be.

"Child, it grieves me to see you in such pain. Is there anything.......anything at all you remember past what you have told me? Something you might not want to tell me?"

Katlin paused. She couldn't tell him about all of her dream. And what difference would the intimate details make? She quickly shook her head.

Voldemort sighed quietly. "All right, child. I think what you need is sleep." A gentle hand caressed the side of her face. "Try and get some rest. I will check on you soon."

Katlin watched him go as a tear rolled down her cheek. He must hate her now, she thought. Being so weak as to succumb to a dream. He was probably already thinking who best to replace her.

Probably Johnathan.

Finally the man would be getting what he wanted. Her position. And he would obtain it with the help of the last thing he probably ever expected. A simple dream.

Katlin buried her face in her pillow and curled up under the cover. This was the end of her. Voldemort would no longer feel he could rely on her. She would be lucky if she even was allowed among the lower ranking Deatheaters after this.

The only good thing that could possibly come out of all this was that Johnathan probably would not want her anymore either. The wedding was likely off.

(Scene Change)

Treaks tried to hide his surprise at being called to the dark lord's chambers so late at night. But no matter the hour, refusing to answer such a call was not advised. And the hour made it all the more important to answer. If Voldemort was calling at this time of night, the matter had to be urgent.

Treaks entered the chamber with the utmost reverence on his lips.

"You called, my lord?"

Treaks had expected the man to be pacing the chamber. Or at the very least, seated the large table in the room.

But instead he was greeted by the sight of Voldemort sitting half slumped down in a chair sitting next to the fire, taking apparently little notice of him.

"My lord?" Treaks announced himself again.

This time Voldemort slowly raised his eyes to the man before him. Treaks half expected to be reprimanded for disturbing him. But to his surprise the man indicated the chair next to him.

Treaks cautiously sat himself down, never taking his eyes off the dark lord. In all of his association with the man, he had never seen the old wizard look so.........human.

"Katlin came to see me tonight." Voldemort stated after several moments while Treaks sat respectfully waiting for the man to address the nature of his summons.

"Yes, my lord?"

"She stated she had been having...........a dream. One that frightened her a great deal."

Treaks knew better than to make any comment. Especially one that might demean the dark lord's favorite Elite or question her in any way.

Voldemort pulled himself up in the chair slightly and turned his attention again to the man sitting before him. "The way she described things, she sounded as though she might be experiencing a delayed reaction from some spell."

Treaks blood froze. What had the man found out?

"And, my lord?" he asked, trying not to hesitate too much.

Voldemort sighed quietly. "I checked. I was concerned, especially after you had brought to my attention her odd behavior of late."

Treaks cursed himself. He never expected Katlin to go to Voldemort with something like this on her own. Something that would arose any suspicion from him against her. Make him question her competence. It was unheard of for her.

But then again, if what Misser had told him was correct, Katlin was operating under two Memory Charms, one of which was obviously failing. If the second one was already breaking down as well, and so soon after it's placement, that would be enough to unhinge anyone.

"And did you find anything, my lord?" Treaks asked cautiously.

Voldemort kept his eyes fixed on the man, but Treaks got the definite impression Voldemort was not looking at him, but more merely in his direction.

"My search did not turn up anything, but nor did it turn up nothing."

Treaks frowned. Maybe Griss wasn't the only one losing their mind here.

"Pardon, my lord?"

The older wizard's stare sharpened so that it focused now on the man next to him. "There was something there, Treaks. I just couldn't tell what. It was that well hidden within her mind."

Treaks judged it best to say nothing. See where the old man's thoughts were going.

"My question isn't so much now what it is, as to why is it there? What does someone want so desperately for me not to find?" The old wizard sat for a moment. "And how did it get there to start with?"

Treaks maintained his silence. He knew Voldemort was still working the elements of the puzzle around in his mind. Trying to fit things together so they made sense. The trick was to know when to say something, and to say the right thing.

"I have never questioned Katlin's loyalty to me, Treaks. She has proved herself again and again."

Treaks called on every reserve he had at that hour of the morning to only allow his neutral expression to shift ever so slightly and not explode into the gleeful smile that hid behind it.

He was suspecting her of treason!

Treaks couldn't believe it. He had never hoped for anything this good to happen. All of her support, all of her protection, vanished before his eyes. Voldemort would not consider any suggestion regarding her now as his favorite Elite, but as just another Deatheater. Possibly a disloyal one.

"If she has been disloyal, my lord................." Treaks began.

The response was not what Treaks expected.

The eyes staring at him suddenly came to life in a hard, cold gaze. "Katlin," he stated in a voice as icy as his stare. "has never been disloyal to me."

Treaks pulled back, forming his defense as quickly as he could. He had been careless. Moved too quickly. Now he was faced with calming a raging mountain bear.

"Of course not, my lord." he answered quickly. "My apologies to your Elite for such a suggestion. And to you. I meant no disrespect to her."

"Then explain yourself!" Came the command stated in a voice Treaks was much more familiar with.

Treaks laid out his plan before he spoke this time. "I meant only, my lord, that if she had been disloyal, you would know, surely. But as you have said, that is not the case. So it would seem to me you are worrying needlessly over this matter. Katlin has always been the most loyal of your Elite. Her honor to you goes far deeper than mere affiliation to your cause. She loves you as her teacher. Her mentor. The person who has raised her. Protected her. Loved her. I am sure you must see how unlikely it is that she would betray you."

The dark lord fell back into his brooding silence. Treaks, on the other hand, was working furiously how to get things back on track. Voldemort called him there for a reason. It wasn't just to be a sounding board. There was another reason. He just had to find it.

Or wait Voldemort out.

Yes. That was the better route. The man would get to the point eventually. Until then, Treaks only had to be sympathetic or agreeable. Which ever the moment called for.

The point was a good solid five minutes of silence coming. But finally the dark lord turned to the man next to him again.

"I need to know what has happened to her, Treaks."

"Katlin has been known to be close to the Aurors as a matter of her work, my lord." Treaks suggested. "The nature of her work is very dangerous. Could it not be she was captured and possibly this is the work of the Unspeakables? And if so, we need only capture one of them and make him tell us."

Voldemort seemed to think over the idea for a few moments. "And you propose to do this how?"

"I have already suggested once my lord sending Katlin to Hogwarts castle to kill the traitor that resides there. Also the Auror who is currently staying there. The only alteration in that plan is that she now needs to capture, not kill, the Auror."

"And I doubt more and more that Katlin is up to such a mission in her current state."

"But she is all the more the perfect choice due to what you suspect, my lord." Treaks quickly recommended.

Voldemort frowned at the suggestion. "How so?"

"If Katlin is just an instrument of the Aurors, they wouldn't suspect her of coming to do them any harm, thinking she is still under their control. We need only tell her what we suspect, so that she can use that status with them to get close to one of them and capture him."

Voldemort thought over Treaks' words as well as his tired brain would let him. Too much was going on around him at the moment. And too many plans and too little sleep were wearing thin. And Treaks had mentioned just the night before that Katlin wasn't herself lately, possibly still brooding over her last punishment and feeling she had not as yet redeemed herself with him. Perhaps this mission would solve several problems for him at once. Anything that caused him to relieve himself of one problem was worth notice. Anything that could solve several problems at once was worth serious consideration.

"Go and tell Katlin I wish to speak to her now." Voldemort amended his earlier request to Treaks.

"If you would, my lord," Treaks asked, choosing his words very carefully, "if you are going to send her on this mission, allow me to deliver your orders to her."

"Why?" Voldemort asked in a rising ire. Why couldn't the man ever just do as he was told?

"Katlin and I have had some.....difficulties as of late, my lord. Due mostly, I feel, to her increasing boredom here at the lair. It might improve my standing with her if I were the one to bring her the news that you have arranged this mission for her. And currently, I would take whatever help I can get in soothing her demeanor towards me as of late."

Voldemort gave the man a mildly suspicious stare. But he was too tired and too preoccupied to give Treaks' request more than a passing thought. He had made up his mind already. He would give Katlin the task of going to the castle. The opportunity of solving so many problems at once was simply too tempting to pass up. Katlin would get her chance to redeem herself. It was something credible for her to do, and far more in her line of expertise than fighting in minor skirmishes with the Aurors. And if, as he suspected, she was under some spell placed by the Aurors, she would likely be able to use that affiliation to capture one of them.

All in all, the plan sounded reasonable to him.

"Very well." he stated, waving the man off. "Tell her of the mission, and if she has any further questions about it, she may come and ask then."

Treaks had to restrain himself not to fly out of the room at a run all the way back to Katlin's rooms.

Life was suddenly looking very bright again for him. Things could not be going more perfectly. By the end of the week he may not only be out of having to marry the shrew, but be head of the Elite, if not all the Deatheaters.

Within minutes Treaks was standing before Katlin's doors again. But this time he was determined to stand there all day if need be until she answered.

"Katlin!" He all but yelled, pounding on the door before him. "I need to talk to you."

He fully expected her to ignore him. Even tell him to go away. But to his surprise the locks slowly slid from their place and the door opened.

"What is it, Johnathan?" she asked, barely containing her irritation at the intrusion. "I'm busy."

"I have just come from Lord Voldemort." Johnathan announced with almost a smile. "He ask me to tell you he has a mission for you and wishes me to deliver it to you."

"You?" she ask. "Why you? Why does he not summon me and tell me about this mission himself? I am his top Elite. My missions come from him."

Johnathan didn't have to try as hard to give her a condescending look over the question. "I wouldn't know." he stated. "I don't make a habit of questioning what Voldemort asks of me, as others seem to do so freely. Perhaps one day he will take notice of that. But should you feel it necessary, please, go and ask him."

Katlin paused as she considered his statement. She knew she likely wasn't in very good standing with Voldemort as it was after her scene early that evening. Coming to his door and ranting like some lunatic. And questioning his decisions on anything was not going to help.

"Very well," she replied. "What does Lord Voldemort wish of me?"

"It is best not discussed in the corridors of the lair, Katlin." Treaks suggested.

Katlin paused, then stepped back. If the man made one wrong move she was more than prepared to kill him.

But once inside Johnathan was all business. "Lord Voldemort is sending you on a mission to Hogwarts castle." He announced after she closed the door after him.

"Hogwarts?" Katlin ask. "Why there? What is in that old school that could possibly interest the dark lord?"

"Currently two things. One, Lord Voldemort suspects one of our number of being a spy. He is a teacher at Hogwarts."

"Severus Snape." Katlin knew the man well enough and had heard from Voldemort's own lips that he was suspicious of the man.

"Indeed. Voldemort wishes him killed."

Katlin didn't so much as raise an eyebrow at the order. That was the usual fate of those the dark lord suspected of treason. And she was an assassin as well as his chief interrogator. It made sense to her that this mission would fall to her.

"And the other?" she ask.

"The Auror, Orion Black, is staying at the castle for the time being."

"And?"

Treaks gave her a small smile. "Voldemort wants you to kill him."

(Scene Change)

Treaks truly had to congratulate himself as he headed down the corridor after his meeting with Katlin. She had accepted the mission with no more protest than she ever did. It was Voldemort's will, and that was all she needed to hear. In a matter of an hour or less she would be on her way to the castle. And even more likely, on her way to her death.

Things couldn't be going more his way if he'd wished it.

He had laid out the mission much as he had discussed with Voldemort, with a few minor alterations.

He had told her she was to go to the castle not to capture the Auror, but to kill him. And he hadn't needed to add any of Voldemort's foolish beliefs that the Aurors had performed some spell on her and that was likely the cause of her dreams. He knew them already for what they were. The memory charms breaking down. If that hadn't been the case, Voldemort's suspicion would have served well to irritate her enough into killing the Auror in and of itself. But Treaks was betting one look at the Auror she had been sent to kill would be enough to drive her on in her mission with that much more purpose. Once she realized the man she was currently sleeping with, who called himself nothing more than an Auror doctor, was the same man, the 'Auror' she had been sent to kill, Treaks had no doubt how the scene would play out from there.

And once she realized she had been played for a fool by the man, it was all the more unlikely she would listen to anything more he had to say to her. Her sole goal at that point would be to kill him. Even if Treaks had said 'capture' instead of 'kill', he doubted Black would survive the encounter.

Katlin could be so touchy about things of that nature.

But it was always good to plan for uncertainties.

There was always the possibility that Black would remove the memory charms to save his own life. Proving to Katlin anything he told her about a past relationship was true. In such a case he had to be prepared to stop her before she got back to the lair. He would set up ward alarms just after she left, alerting him to her return to the lair. That way he could intercept her before she got to Voldemort with any stories the old fool might actually listen to. Likely, should she actually survive her mission and try to return to the lair, he was better off just killing her as he intercepted her return. He could easily arrange it to look like she died as a result of the mission. Things went badly, she tried to escape back to the lair, the Auror caught her, and killed her before she could report anything she may have learned.

Simple.

Of course, there was also the far flung chance Katlin would actually capture the fool Black and try and bring him back to the lair to Voldemort to be questioned. In which case, he could work that to his advantage as well. If Katlin brought the Auror back, he would be in no condition to fight, likely held in a binding spell. He could easily kill the Auror, and while Katlin was yelling at him for that, kill her as well while her guard was down.

Yes, he had all of his bases well covered.

All he had to do now was wait.

****

Q&A

Sirius-ly disturbed:

1. Yes..........eventually.

I do try to avaid stories that are over 50 chapters. And this story is, technically, under 50 chapters.....by my count. Fanfiction.net seems to feel differently on the matter. But I can't help that their system seems to chose to credit each entry as an individual chapter and fails to recognize subchapters. (Such as 13A-B-C-D).

However, I have gone slightly off of that due to the fact that Family Relations is running well over 50 chapters right now. (Fans eagerly awaiting the release date wave flags.)

2. Generally I update on only two days. Sundays or Wednesdays. After 6PM EST, USA.

But I have been known to throw the odd curve ball and update on Mondays and such. So save yourself the disappointment, Dear. Usually Sundays or Wednesdays only. It's a PAR thing.

Well, Dear, if everything worked out smoothly, wouldn't be much of a story, right? And if you honestly thought this last time was going to work out you are nature's little optimist. I mean, Orion was lying to her at every turn. There wasn't one thing he told her that was the straight out truth. Wait. I tell a fib. He told her he worked for the Ministry. That was the truth........sort of.

What was Bo going on about? Well, I'll help you out here. And maybe a few other people who bother to read these things. Bo asked Orion if he wanted the spell done the 'same as last time'. Now, if you go back and read It's really All A little Confusing, that chapter was VERY appropriately named. You really have to read the conversation between Katlin and Bo very carefully. And you have to read it from Bo's point of view to understand what happens at the end of the chapter. All Bo saw was Katlin doing something she didn't really want to do. She was leaving someone she 'liked', and he couldn't quite grasp the 'why' of the situation. All he understood was she was leaving, she didn't want to, it was a matter of her needing some time on her own, and she would like to come back.

Well, that was easy to fix. Bo understood Memory Charms. So he placed a spell that acted like a slow poison on the Memory Charm. Little by little Bo's spell deteriorated the effectiveness of Dumbledore's Memory Charm. Hence you had the dreams starting.

OK. With that in mind, let's look at the new scenario. For Bo, everything is exactly the same. Someone wants him to alter Katlin's memory to make her forget something. Well, the last time that happened, she didn't want to forget. Not really. But he's not sure. So he asked Orion, 'Do you want this done the same as last time?' Poor Orion has no idea what Bo did last time, so he just agrees. You're way ahead of the game now, Dear.

I never thought of Voldemort as insane. Just a bit.........fanatical to his cause. But, yes, he is a bit more stable here. But he also hasn't had the 'encounter' with little Harry Potter yet. Being nearly killed by a spell has got to be detrimental to the mind as well as the body. So currently you can safely assume that not all of his cookies have gotten burned in the oven yet. (He's still relatively sane.)

Trying to figure out what Treaks is doing? That's easy, Dear. Treaks is out to improve his standing however best presents itself. That is currently coming under the heading of killing his fiancee and steering his leader over the deep end. Which would put him in control of a fairly large group of people who he feels haven't quite gotten a grip on their full potential yet. He would like to help them do that.

Stay good, Dear.

Silverfox:

Yup. Back at the beginning again.

I warned you guys that Bo wasn't quite as innocent as he seems sometimes. The boggart is perfectly capable of making his own plans and carrying them out. And usually quite easily since no one ever suspects poor little simple Bo of plotting anything.

Poor Treaks. Not much of a fan club.

Sorry, but the piece of paper that landed between Bo and Katlin was entirely innocent.

Yup. Physical secret. And no, despite their relationship, Orion has not noticed. However, Bo has. And he did try to tell Orion. Orion just wasn't paying attention. (However, looking back, I noticed I neglected to mention that part, but still, it's very minor to the whole thing. Basically, when Katlin wandered down in the cellar the first time, Bo noticed something about Katlin that wasn't......natural. What he referred to to Orion as 'foreign magic'. Now that doesn't mean magic from some other country. In Bo's terms it means magic that isn't from that person. In other words, someone else instigated it.) Work with that. And again, her secret is in the story. But it takes a little deductive reasoning to figure it out. In other words, I gave you the pieces. It's up to you to put them together.

What would Orion do? Look at what happened the last time he lost control. Voldemort needed a new lair.

Ummmmmmmmm........., why would being a host effect your life span, Dear? And I guess, in a way, it does. It shortens it.

Even if Katlin does get sent to the castle as part of a mission, she will not remember Dumbledore or anything else connected with him. But I think Dumbledore is looking a bit further into the future than that. You are talking a potentially VERY useful ally here. Past that, let's just face it. Dumbledore would bring home stray kittens.

No. Bo has no connection to Orion's second wand at all. How is that possible? Well, because you have a few facts wrong, Dear, that's how. Bo was hardly a part of Orion's life at all when he got his second wand. Talon had separated the 'Power' from his son and locked it back in the cellar. The only connection Bo had with Orion at that point was an innate connection based on Orion now being a Channeler for the 'Power'. So, he was a factor in Orion's life when he got the wand. But a 'big' factor? No.

And keep in mind Orion still has his first wand. That wand is VERY much connected to Bo. Remember that Orion released Bo by spells the boggart taught him. So, what do you think? The boy was standing there performing spells without a wand? Think about it.

Also note that there are those in the world who would very much like to see Mr. Black permanently parted from that wand.

I do so love answering questions!

Keep settin' 'em up, Dear. I'll keep knockin' 'em down.

Skahducky:

Go with the paragraph that starts with, "Really? Then I know nothing about your coming to see her at her apartment." Every word in that paragraph I have only one thing to say to. How did Treaks know any of that? And that's not as easy a question as it looks. Because the ramifications of it will reach long past this story. Don't look at it 'How did he know?' 'Because Katlin told him.' You know that's a lie. Work on it from there and I think you will understand why Treaks made the most fatal error of his life simply by talking too much. As I said before, Orion ain't the fastest horse on the track, but he's the most persistent. You can add to that that he has a VERY long memory.

And in regards to Treaks' little speech, you can add that fact he mentioned what happened at Olivers party. Which is probably the most damaging thing he said. Think about it. And you need to work that one out about four steps to see it's full potential for damage.

And granted, a lot of what Treaks was saying was indeed to just bait Orion. The problem was, he had WAY too much bait on his hook.

Which real story, Dear? I have about three subplots running within this story.

This story indeed ends with Voldemort's downfall. What happens to Katlin is a large part of the sequel to Enemies, In The Family Way, based on the choices she has to make at that time and how she views those choices later on.

Which story is true is (at least I thought), pretty obvious. As a matter of fact, Charly said it pretty plainly.

In Family Relations Orion is married. 'Who to' you'll just have to wait and see.

Runaway has nothing to do with Family Relations. It is a sub-plotted story from Family Life. What the heck does that mean? It means it takes place during Family Life, not Family Relations.

What causes Orion great concern for Harry's well-being happened in Family Life.

Am I going to add in how Sirius' imprisonment affected him? Dear, did you read Family Life? Specifically chapters 29-33?

How having Katlin assassinate Snape and Orion will help Treaks is laid out in this chapter. If you missed it; 1, it will most likely end with Katlin herself being killed or at least, sent to Azkaban, because Treaks has no doubt she'll fail, and 2, he is making sure Voldemort sees the idea as his own, and by which, will take the blame himself for getting his favorite Elite killed. A devastating blow for the man.

Indeed, you pointed out a vital plot error. Snape is indeed in Family Life, so he survived the attempt. I'm not saying anything more on that subject.

You hope Orion stays alive? Me too, Dear, because killing main characters is a rotten plot device. (DO YA' HEAR ME, ROWLING!?)

Where did you get the idea Treaks wants Orion to see Katlin one more time? Because he wants her to go to the castle while he's there? Dear, he's trying to send her there to ASSASSINATE him. Not on a blind date. Goodness! We certainly ran off the tracks with that one, Dear!

****

Family Life

nana-hedwig: Give yourself a great deal of time, Dear. It's fairly long.

****

Gentle Persuasion

Von: Now, Dear, settle down. Poor Arabella only did what she had to do.

She stated quite clearly in the story she does use her talent as just some parlor game. She takes it very seriously. She would never use it just to manipulate someone into doing something she wanted for no reason other than her own personal gain.

Could she lose her job for doing it for non-Ministry work and coercing a civilian minor into signing a legal document? Well, on the first part, absolutely. But who ever said what she did wasn't Ministry work? On the second part, I don't know what the 'civilian' part has to do with it, but again, who said what she did wasn't Ministry work?

You brought up valid points, Dear. Especially about Harry not wanting to lose his family name. But he didn't really. His name was changed to Potter-Black. And perhaps asking would have just raised a bunch of very hard to answer questions.

I must say, though, I'm pleased to see someone who might be in favor of poor Orion's actions for a change. The man is next in line for the 'most hated character without any solid prove to say why we should' award since Aaron Richards.

All reviews are as of 06062004.

And remember;

My computer may beat me at chess, but I beat it at kick-boxing.


	55. Chapter FortyFive: Katlin At The Castle ...

A/N: Author comes out and sits in a chair strategically placed under a large lamp bulb.

"Ummmmmmmm..............., it's kind of like this, folks.

You see, we all make mistakes......."

(Hand goes up in the back.)

What happened to the last chapter? It went up one day and came down the next?

"I'm getting to that! Sit down!

You see, folks, sometimes we make mistakes. And actually, truth be told, I'm very surprised not ONE of you called me on this error. People, it was BLATANT!

OK. Let's review. Chapter Forty-Three. What happened there?"

(Everyone looks thoughtful as they try to remember back that far.)

"Katlin went down into Sier's study with Bo to wait until Charly left. And she found papers with Orion's name on them, figured out who he was and was going to subsequently kill him."

(Oh, yeah.)

"Good. Now, as you remember, Orion had Bo place a Memory Charm on Katlin to make her forget everything about Sier."

(Everyone starts to think.)

"However, when she was in the castle, and she got to Orion's (Sier's) room, when she illuminated her wand and pulled him over, she CLEARLY remembered who he was.

Folks, that should not have been possible."

(Hand goes up in the back.)

sigh "Yes?"

But....but you gave every indication the Memory Charm was failing.

"I also gave every indication right up until she actually saw him, she had no memory of Sier or Orion whatsoever. Sit down!"

Folk's, the point is, I made a huge mistake and this chapter is an attempt to get things back on track. If you read chapter Forty-Five originally (last Sunday), good for you. You have the rare treat of seeing just how fast I can tap dance around something. If you reviewed, first off, bless you. You're a good person and a decent human being. Next, yes, I will answer you at the end of the chapter.

If you didn't read that chapter yet. That's OK too. You won't be nearly as confused as everyone else then.

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Officer, I've never seen these sheep before in my life. And that little black one in the back is a well-known liar.

****

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: KATLIN AT THE CASTLE

The very next night Katlin set out for Hogwarts castle. Johnathan had assured her that he had learned a spell that would get her safely through the wards and had cast it just before she left. However, trusting him as she did, she approached the ward lines with a great deal of caution. It would be just like the man, she felt, to tell her it was safe for her to pass through the wards, only to have her walk into one and be killed.

Well, better to err on the side of caution, she told herself.

But to her surprise, Katlin couldn't even feel the wards as she approached where she remembered reports had said they began.

Perhaps they had moved them. That would be logical. Since the Deatheaters knew of them, it made no sense to leave them in the same place all the time.

As she continued her cautious trek, Katlin continued to get more and more suspicious of the apparent lack of any wards. Surely Johnathan's spell hadn't worked so well as to be able to remove all the wards around the castle. Or even to nullify them. The castle staff would have been alerted, surely, if the wards were down.

Katlin sighed quietly into the night air as she nervously fingered her pendent. The last thing she wanted tonight was surprises. She simply wanted this mission to go well. For her to find the Auror and the traitor and complete her mission. By dawn she hoped to be safely back at the lair, reporting to Voldemort that his enemies were dead. It would please him beyond words if she could give him that report. Hopefully returning to her some of his faith in her. Proving to him she was still useful to him.

Katlin stayed close to the tree line that circled the castle. Fortunately the moon wasn't even out that night and help conceal her that much better. After an hour of carefully plotted moves, she managed to make her way to the side of the castle and find a small, barely accessible window three stories up. That would be the least guarded, least suspected method of entry.

Katlin pulled a large grappling hook out of the bag slung around her shoulder. One of her trademarks was she never used magic to enter a building like Hogwarts castle. It was too easily detected by those inside. But muggle devices they were usually not alerted to. And stealth was her greatest weapon on such missions.

Within a few minutes Katlin was in the castle, her rope and hook safely tucked away in her shoulder bag again as she oriented herself as to where she was within the castle.

Once she had a clear idea of where she was, she carefully made her way down the corridor she was currently in. Thankfully there were no students there yet. But Johnathan had been absolutely sure that the Auror and the traitor she had been sent to kill were.

She carefully ran her fingers over the handle of the knife in her robes as she continued down the corridor, her wand precariously balanced on her palm. Long ago the Deatheaters had created a spell that allowed them to locate Aurors within a given range by placing the spell on their wands. It was much like a four-point spell, but much more specific. Without the spell Katlin was fairly certain she would never have been able to find her target within the large castle. But with the spell's help, she would find him, and then through him, she would find the traitor. Making the man tell her before she killed him.

As she passed a large wooden door, the wand on her palm suddenly turned and stopped, pointing directly at the door.

Katlin smiled as she quickly slipped the wand back into her robes. The spell never failed. And to her knowledge the ministry had yet to be able to counter it.

Checking the corridor, Katlin very slowly eased the door open. Surely the Auror wouldn't be on guard here. He would think himself safe within the castle. But she would have to take her own chances slipping into the room that he was asleep. She couldn't perform any magic within the castle, or the staff would be alerted. The spell on her wand had to be placed outside of the castle grounds, even though that far away she knew the spell would be ineffective. She had to be at least within a few hundred yards of an Auror for the spell to work.

Once the door was open enough, Katlin pulled a small hand mirror out of her bag and slipped into the room. It only gave her a small amount of information, but enough that she would know if there were any traps or not, being charmed to detect such things, as well as giving her a small look around the door before she entered the room.

With no warnings coming from the little mirror in her hand, Katlin carefully slipped her thin frame through the opening and shut the door partially behind her. An old habit, but one she couldn't seem to break. Not that it was all bad, but it wasted time.

As silently as a shadow she made her way through the large open area of the room to the bed where a single figure lay under the covers.

Her target.

Of that she was sure. The spell on her wand had never failed.

As she crept silently towards the bed, Katlin slipped the knife out of her robes and into her hand. She needed to get the man to tell her where the traitor was. And a knife at one's throat was usually a good incentive to talk. With her other hand she slipped her wand back out of her robes.

Katlin stood for a moment staring at the figure peacefully sleeping into he bed. Why did the Auror have to be on his side? She would have to roll him over now to face her.

Katlin checked the door behind her.

She should have closed it completely.

Well, too late now. Better to just get on with it and hope for the best.

She fingered her wand carefully. If things went badly, it wouldn't be the first time she had to fight her way out of something.

Steeling herself for the task, Katlin grabbed the man's shoulder and yanked him over onto his back as she firmly stated, "Lumos!"

****

(POV Change)

Being highly treasured among his least favorite ways to be woken up, Orion simply froze where he was. He was already at a disadvantage due to being partly blinded by the light. But his adversary, with a knife at his throat already, had chosen not to kill him. So he still had some negotiation room to work with.

But it was the voice that paralyzed him more than anything. One he knew all too well.

"Don't move!" Katlin hissed in a whisper. "Or I swear I will kill you here and now."

Orion froze under her, judging her sincerity by the tone of her voice. He watched as something in her expression shifted. Suddenly she was looking at him with a renewed interest. Like she was seeing him for the first time in her life. Or more frighteningly....the second.

He knew he had to distract her. And fast.

"All right." he stated in a calm, steady voice. "You didn't kill me right off. So you must want something."

"Answers.' Katlin hissed at him. "That is all I want from you."

"All right."

Whatever questions Katlin may have been planning to ask him, Orion watched them plainly get lost behind her curiosity. Something was going on behind her eyes. Something he didn't like.

"I know you." she stated, making it neither a question or a statement.

Orion paused, unsure of how to answer her.

The knife pressed a little tighter against his throat. "I was sent to kill an Auror and a traitor. Now, the only thing keeping you alive right now is your answering questions." she stated. "I suggest you get on with it. So again. I know you."

Orion paused, thinking over his answer carefully, then very slowly he nodded to her question.

"How?"

"We met before." Orion replied quietly.

The knife pressed further still. "You're stating the obvious. Where? When?"

"It was a very long time ago. I doubt you'd remember it."

Katlin could feel the lie and started to call him on it, but stopped herself. A new thought distracting her. "How did we know each other?"

"I'm an Auror. You're a Deatheater. Is it really that difficult to figure out?"

Katlin paused, staring down at the man beneath her. She knew already that something inside of her was never going to let her press the knife at the man's throat any further than it was. A feeling she was fighting furiously with. And losing.

"You're lying. I can feel it." she stated in a low tone. "Now tell me the truth. How do we know each other?"

Orion stared up at her. "I've already answered you."

A confusing wave of emotions swept through her as she met his gaze again, this time holding it for longer than a few seconds. There was something so familiar in those eyes she knew it would drive her mad if she didn't figure this puzzle out.

Katlin tried to find the phrasing for her next question. Her voice softened almost of its own accord even as she tried to keep it sounding as level as possible. "How well did we know each other?"

Now there was a question he did not want to answer with her practically sitting on top of him with a knife held to his throat.

Time to change tactics. And Orion quickly decided he had been on the defensive as long as he cared to be.

"I'm not answering any more questions with that blade to my throat." he stated in a sudden, firm tone. "Get rid of the knife and we'll talk. Until then, I have nothing more to say."

Katlin held her stance as a panicking wave of indecision coursed through her. He was her only source of information. The only one who could answer her questions. And now he was refusing to do so. She hadn't counted on that.

But what if she met his terms? What if she pulled the knife back? Would he keep to his word? Would he answer her questions anyway without any threats?

Katlin was still working over in her mind what to do when the world around her suddenly went black again.

Behind the stunned woman, Snape stood with his wand directed at her, a deep scowl on his face as he surveyed the scene before him.

"Why don't I find this even remotely disgusting?" He asked finally, tucking his wand back into his robes.

"What?" Orion asked as he lifted the unconscious woman off of him. "Finding someone in bed with a Deatheater? Probably because your so used to it."

"What I seem to be getting use to, Black," Snape sneered at his comment, "is finding you in bed with Deatheaters. One would think your department would start to wonder just a little bit."

"Well, while as that you're dedicating so much of your free time to pondering mine, might you be able to spare a bit of it and give me a hand here?"

Snape stepped over to the bed and lifted Katlin from it.

"Might I suggest a better watch is kept on her?" Snape commented, handing the woman back over to him once Orion was on his feet "She seems a bit single minded where you're concerned."

Orion gave the other man a pleasant smile.

"You needn't be so smug about this, Severus." Orion replied. "Since it's likely your own arse your saving here."

"Meaning?"

"Griss isn't here after one target. She said there were two. And where as I am one, I think it stands to reason very well you were the other."

"Me?"

"Griss said she was here to kill an Auror.....and a traitor. That role just seems to fit you so well as of late."

Snape scowled deeper at the comment.

"As I said," he stated sharply, "your gratitude is somewhat lacking."

"Thank you then." Orion replied, heading out the door of his room and off to the infirmary with the unconscious Deatheater in his arms.

****

(Scene Change)

Once Orion had Katlin settled back in the infirmary and had a guard on her this time, he went straight to Dumbledore.

"This isn't working." He stated, pacing before the Headmaster's desk. "Something is wrong with the memory charm. She fighting it....or it's failing. Something."

"The charm was worked proper, Orion." Dumbledore replied as he followed the younger man's progress back and forth. "And it isn't failing. But from what you've said, the problem seems to be her own curiosity. She stated she knew you. She felt certain of it. That was enough to set up a stumbling block for the charm. For someone like Ms. Griss, that is simply too much to pass off as coincidence. And she's suspicious by her very nature, Orion. She won't let go of something she feels isn't right anymore than you would be able to."

Orion paused in his pacing.

"Then redo the charm." He stated finally. "Place it on her again. Make her forget what she's learned....what she heard, and I'll be more careful next time. Make sure we never meet. That she never sees me."

But Dumbledore shook his head.

"These are much the same promises you made to me before, Orion." He stated sympathetically. "And you have seen how hard they are to keep by coincidence alone. Ms. Griss is a Deatheater. You are an Auror. You are bound to meet again. How will you handle that? The same way you did the last time? By not killing her. Making her suspicious all over again and thus just setting up the exact same circumstances?"

"I'll get a transfer then." Orion stated decisively. "I can be sent to the States. I would never run into her again then. She can live her life and I can live mine."

But Dumbledore simply shook his head again.

"Orion, my boy, it's time to face facts."

"Facts?"

"You made a mistake. A very bad one. It's time to correct it. Not continue to try and hide from it. You must face what you did."

"Face it?"  
"Tell Katlin the truth."

Orion stepped over to the old man, slamming his hands down on the desk before him.

"You don't understand!" he stated sharply. "It nearly destroyed her. She couldn't accept it. She wouldn't. Whatever love she had for me died that day. It never came back. It never will."

"Are you so sure?" the old wizard asked.

"What do you mean?"

"The reason the memory charm started to 'fail', as you put it, was because from the first time she saw you again, Katlin felt she knew you. And it was something she just couldn't push off and forget."

"And you might well remember that not thirty minutes ago she was trying to kill me."

"She was doing what she was told to do."

"Told?"

"She told you she was on a mission. To kill the Auror and kill the traitor. For someone in Katlin's frame of mind, that must have been a very comforting thing."

"Comforting?"

"Doing what she knew how to do the best. Something to focus on. Take her mind off other less......solid realities."

"Killing me was just 'something to do'?"

"Something to occupy her mind away from other more troubling thoughts, Orion. But even when it came down to it, as you will kindly remember in her defense, she couldn't do it."

"She came awful close."

"But she didn't. Even Professor Snape says she was standing over you for a fairly long time when he came into the bedroom."

"Long time? Just how long was he planning on waiting?"

"He had to make sure he wasn't seen, Orion. He had to get behind her. And that in itself just adds to what I have been saying. Whatever was on her mind in those few moments, she was so distracted by it, she never even noticed Severus, although by his speculation, he was clearly in her view at one point. But she never took the slightest notice of him."

Orion paused as he thought over the information, but eventually just shook his head.

"I still say redo the memory charm. It is the best thing for everyone."

"Best, or easiest?" Dumbledore asked.

"It's best."

"Really?"

"You don't agree."

"Not at all. Orion, she already has one memory charm on her. And she's fighting it. Look at the state it has left her in. She's distracted worse than she can afford to be. What if we place another on her, and again something happens to make her question things."

"It won't." Orion stated firmly.

"You can't guarantee that. What if it does? And she begins to questions thing to the point of distraction she's at now? What of she's in that state when she's in a fight? Where will that leave her?"

Orion stood staring at the wall in front of him.

"I can't put her through that pain, and that confusion again. I just can't."

"I see no other option."

Orion turned back to the old wizard. "Then place a charm on me as well this time. So I don't remember her. There won't be any missteps that way. We won't know each other."

Dumbledore gave him a kind smile. "Orion, past anything in this world I doubt the two of you will ever forget each other. The spell should have left Katlin with no memory of you. And yet the first time she saw you again she started to question things. She felt what had been between you before. She still loved you. She still felt that. Given time, she would likely have fallen in love with you again."

Orion fell into the chair in front of Dumbledore's desk, his face buried in his hands.

"She will never love me again." he stated in a heartrending tone. "That love was destroyed the day I tried to take her away from the one other man she loved. Because I couldn't accept that one part of her."

"But she was falling in love with you, Orion. Otherwise you would likely be dead by now."

Orion slowly pulled himself up again, wiping his hands over his face as he got to his feet. Finally he settled his gaze on the old wizard.

"What is it you want to do?" He asked.

"I want you to talk to her." Dumbledore replied kindly. "Just answer her questions and let her decide for herself what she wants. She deserves that much from you, don't you think?"

Orion thought for a moment, but then slowly nodded.

"All right. I'll talk to her."

****

(Scene Change)

Katlin awoke to find herself laying on her back, staring at a white ceiling. Her first thought was that she wasn't at the lair, because there the ceilings were all rock or gray. Working her mind quickly back, she finally managed to sort things out to remember that she had been at Hogwart's castle and was about to kill the Auror Black when.....something had happened. Katlin shook her head a little as she fought to clear her thoughts, then moaned softly from the movement only adding to her headache.

"How do you feel?" A familiar voice asked formally.

Katlin turned her head slowly to the sound of the voice. Standing next to her bed was Orion Black. Her target.

Katlin thought for a moment. "Like I was stunned." She answered finally.

"Well, the nurse will give you something for that. Help you get a little rest."

Almost on cue, a woman appeared around the curtain with a cup in her hand. "You'll need to leave." She addressed Orion formally. "I need to check on my patient."

Orion paused briefly, then exited back around the curtain.

As soon as the nurse was finished, Orion took his place once again, standing almost stiffly next to her bed.

"Everything was all right?" He asked.

Katlin gave a tired nod. "She gave me something....to make me sleep. Tasted like mint."

"She probably figured you'd like it."

Katlin focused her stare a little better at the man standing next to her. "I remember you from somewhere." She said in a slightly slurred voice.

Katlin waited for an answer, but none came. And the potion was fighting her efforts to stay awake, pulling her down into a tranquil, dreamless sleep.

"Why?" She slurred the question, trying to make herself heard still. "I was going to kill you. Why are you helping me?"

Orion watched as long black lashes slipped down over pale white skin as the potion began to take affect. He stood for several more minutes, making sure she was asleep as her body slowly relaxed and her breathing evened off. Finally he leaned down and gently placed a kiss on her forehead before standing back up and walking over to the curtain the nurse had drawn about her bed. Pausing for a moment, he turned back to her, watching her for a few more seconds as she lay peacefully in the bed.

"Because I love you." He whispered to her before stepping past the white curtain.

****

(POV Change)

As soon as the door to the infirmary closed, Katlin opened her eyes and sat up in the bed.

She stared transfixed at the place where the Auror had been standing.

He loved her? How could he have said such a thing to her?

But something here was different. The way he had said it was different. It wasn't the usual pleading, babbling, insincerity she was used to as someone tried to make her believe their words of devotion. The Auror had sounded.....confident. As though had she shown she was awake and alert, he would have fully expected her to reply in kind.

But there was also pain in his words. A hurt so deep it had reached right out and touched her own feelings. Somewhere, very deeply buried beneath that shell he wore so well, the man's soul was slowly being destroyed by that pain. One she was somehow connected to.

Katlin quickly shook off the thoughts. The potion the old nurse had given her was dulling her senses. So the Auror had said he loved her? That wasn't really so uncommon. She had men falling in love with her every day. He was just one more of the fools now as far as she was concerned .

Katlin closed her eyes again and continued fighting the effects of the potion. Thankfully it hadn't been a very strong one and she could still function, albeit a bit unstably. A fact that proved all to true as she slid her feet out from under the covers of the bed and sat up. The room spun about for a few minutes, but finally slowed down enough that she could get to her feet and walk. Making her way one step at a time to the

curtain, Katlin grabbed it to steady herself, then carefully peeked around it.

At the door, Katlin saw a man in his early twenties, standing as though he was bored out of his mind.

So they had left a guard behind to watch her.

Katlin smiled slightly as she pulled back behind the curtain. This wouldn't prove too hard of a problem to circumvent. The man, from his posture, apparently thought she

would be a sleep. And guarding a sleeping prisoner wasn't much of a challenge.

Katlin slowly made her way back to the bed. She slowly crawled back under the covers and listened intently as to what the man was doing. Which wasn't much.

'Give it some time.' She mentally coaxed herself.

An hour. That would be enough. By then the guard would be bored to distraction, and the potion would have been diluted enough not to slow her down too much.

Katlin mentally ticked off the minutes.

If she fell asleep, she was headed for Azkaban, she firmly told herself.

That was enough to keep her awake.

An hour past.

Katlin started to cough. A cough that quickly turned into a choking sound.

It took the guard nearly a full thirty seconds to venture around the curtain.

Katlin waved him over, trying not to alarm him too much. The last thing she wanted was for him to alert anyone else.

The guard slowly moved towards her.

"What is it?" he ask, cautiously staying out of her reach.

Katlin coughed harder.

"Do you need the nurse?"

Katlin shook her head, but continued to wave him over. When he didn't move, she pointed at a glass by her bed with a slurred movement, giving every indication she was still under the effects of the potion.

The act apparently was enough to convince him she was harmless. He approached the bed and reached for the glass. But as soon as he was close enough to her, Katlin suddenly pulled up and grabbed him by the shoulder. When one quick jerk she brought the man's head down against the side of the bed with enough force to knock him out.

Katlin paused as she listened to the sounds around her.

Nothing stirred in the ward.

That was good.

Katlin quickly pushed the man off of the bed and swung her legs over the side. They would likely expect her to sleep for a few more hours. So hopefully no one would

check. But as soon as the guard was discovered missing, that would be the end of things for her.

The room spun about for a few minutes, but finally slowed down enough that she could get to her feet and walk.

There was no use for her to take the guard's wand. Her mind was still too fuzzy for her to try and work with an alien wand. She needed to find something else.

Making her way one step at a time to the curtain, Katlin grabbed it to steady herself, then carefully peeked around it. There was no one in sight between her and the door to the infirmary.

This was her one chance. She had to complete her mission. That was all that mattered.

Katlin let go of the curtain and continued her unstable shuffle to the door. But just as she reached it, something else caught her eye.

A tray of instruments that had been left out.

And laying amid them was a small, straight edged knife.

Katlin snatched the instrument off the tray and quickly shuffled out the door.

As Katlin continued her way down the hallway, she slowly began to realize what a predicament she had gotten herself into.

She had no idea where she was.

She had no idea where the Auror was.

She had no idea where the traitor was.

She had no wand.

She stopped after a short while and leaned against a wall to rest. She had not thought the effort just to walk would wear on her so soon.

The potion was still working against her.

With a slight sigh she pushed herself away from the wall. If she allowed herself to rest, she risk falling asleep.

Azkaban.

The idea immediately fueled her weary senses. If she fell asleep, that was where she would wake up.

She pressed on, not seeming to notice or care how slow her shuffle had gotten. All that mattered to her was that she kept moving. Sooner or later, she told herself, she would have to cross paths with either the Auror or the traitor.

Hopefully, the Auror.

But a sudden voice caused her stop abruptly in her tracks.

"Should you really be out of bed, child?" A soft, gentle voice inquired behind her.

Katlin turned about to find herself facing an old man with long white hair and a beard to match.

He had to be the school's Headmaster. Katlin had heard stories of the eccentric old wizard that ran Hogwart's. Although Voldemort seemed to respect the man's power, he had no patience for him.

Katlin immediately produced the knife. "Stay out of my way, old man." She stated as fiercely as she could.

The old wizard held his hands up to her. "There is no need for that, Katlin." he told her. "As you can see, I am not armed myself."

Katlin pulled the knife back a bit. To her, it would be a horrible dishonor to kill the man now. He was an old man to begin with. But he had presented himself to her unarmed.

She wondered if he had done so on purpose.

Katlin waved the knife at him again just for good measure. "Step aside." she commanded.

The old wizard made no move other than to fold his hands in front of him, keeping them plainly in her sight.

"Where were you going, child?" he ask her in a genuinely curious tone.

Katlin sneered at the Headmaster. "I am going to complete my mission."

"Your mission?"

Her sneer deepened at the thought. "To kill that bastard Auror." she replied. The traitor seemed a secondary thing to her now. If she could just get the Auror, she would be happy with that. As she convinced herself would the dark lord be.

The old wizard gave her a small, whimsical smile. "Ah, yes. Our guest, Mr. Black. He does seem to have aroused a certain ire with you, hasn't he?"

Katlin pointed the knife at him again. "He lied to me!"

"About what?"

Katlin allowed herself a momentary rest against the wall next to her. Or at least that was her intention. Once she was leaning against it, her body didn't seem to want to leave the cool surface again.

"Everything he said was a lie." she stated, trying to distract her opponent from her disability. "I could feel it. And I don't take well to people lying to me. You would do well to remember that, old man."

The old wizard didn't seem aware yet of her growing lack of strength, but instead only smiled pleasantly at her. "I'll keep that in mind." he replied. "But, Katlin, did you not think that perhaps Mr. Black might have had a good reason for keeping the truth from you?"

Katlin's irritation with the old wizard grew higher. Why did the stupid fool not just leave!? Why was he standing there trying to carry on a conversation with her?

She again waved the knife at him. "Get out of my way, old wizard," she warned him, "or you will be just as dead."

The Headmaster shook his head. "I don't think so." he replied with a small smile. "Your own morals draw very firm lines between who you are and who you think you are, Katlin Griss. And one of those lines is that you will not kill an unarmed opponent. Especially one who means you no harm."

Katlin gave him a sinister smile. "You seem very sure of that, old one."

"Because I know you, Katlin."

"Everyone knows me, old fool. And if they are wise, they fear me as well."

Dumbledore smiled at her. "Then I guess I am not very wise at all."

Katlin studied her opponent carefully, but never let the knife stray too far from its target.

"I don't fear you, Katlin." Dumbledore stated kindly. "I never have. Not now, and not the first time you came to me for help."

Katlin pointed the knife back up at him. "What are you talking about!?" she stated fiercely. "I would never come to you for help. Does everyone in this castle do nothing but lie?"

The old wizard's tone hardened slightly. "Quite the opposite, I assure you." he informed her. "And since the truth is so important to you, Katlin, I promise you, before you leave this castle, you will know the truth."

Katlin stared at him with something that bordered on amazement. "Leave?" she asked. "You would let me go?"

"I have no reason to hold you."

"I tried to kill an Auror."

Dumbledore smiled at her, then shook his head. "You would never have killed him, Katlin. We both know that." The old wizard put his hand up before she could protest his words. "A point I am not going to waste precious time arguing with you. Instead, I will give you some advice, and you may act on my words as you choose. You may leave then or stay. But the choice will be yours alone."

Katlin frowned at the old man. "What words?"

The old wizard sighed heavily. "Katlin, I promise you that you can search this castle, without resistance or opposition, from top to bottom, several times, take years if you wish, and you will never find Orion Black."

"You have hidden him!"

The old wizard shook his head. "The castle has hidden him from you."

"Stupid old fool." Katlin practically spat at him. "You think I do not have ways to find him?"

"Your wand's spell will not help you."

"Because I do not have it!"

The old man reached into his robes and pulled a thin sheath of wood out. Katlin immediately recognized her wand. And much to her surprise the headmaster handed it to her, handle first.

Katlin held back, waiting for the trap, but the old wizard nudged it towards her.

"Go on. Take it." he told her.

Katlin slowly reached out and took the wand from him.

He favored her with a smile as her took it, then gave her a slight wave of his hand. "Feel free."

Katlin stared at the odd little man for a moment, then placed the wand in her palm and spoke the spell. She waited for a few moments. But the wand refused to so much as move an inch on her raised palm. Katlin tried again, speaking the spell a bit louder this time. But again, the wand failed to respond. She tried once more, turning about in a circle as she spoke the spell. But the wand still refused to give her any direction.

Finally Katlin stopped, the wand still in her hand. Slowly she turned to face the headmaster, bringing the wand up slowly as she did so. "What have you done?" she ask in a dangerously low voice.

"Mr. Black is my guest, Katlin. And as such I can not allow you to do him any harm while he is within these walls."

Katlin sneered at him. "Then send him outside."

The Headmaster gave her a small smile. "I don't think he would agree."

Katlin paused as she considered the situation. The old wizard was playing games with her, and she was tiring of being his fool. She pulled back slightly, folding her arms over her chest.

"You said you had advice for me."

The old man seemed pleased at her action as he smiled at her. "Indeed. I do believe you and Mr. Black have some things you need to discuss."

"His epitaph?" Katlin ventured without a trace of humor.

The old man's smile didn't fade. "I believe he already has one written. Something about being tight and loose woman." The Headmaster frowned slightly. "Can't say I cared for it much myself."

Katlin gave him a mirthless smile. "Then perhaps I can come up with a new one for him."

Dumbledore waved off the suggestion. "No, no. He is quite fond of that one. However, should you agree, Katlin, solely if you agree," the old wizard added as he studied her, "I think you would benefit greatly from talking with Mr. Black."

Katlin paused in astonishment. "Talking?" she ask.

Dumbledore gave her a small nod.

Katlin gave a short laugh. "Old wizard, you must be the greatest fool I have ever met."

The Headmaster shrugged. "Possibly."

"Why should I want to talk with the man? I was sent here on a mission to kill him. One I am very keen on completing."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Then you are satisfied with all the answers you have?"

"Answers?" Katlin questioned. "To what?"

"One would have thought for why you feel Mr. Black lied to you."

Katlin raised her wand again, irritated at the delay the old man was causing her. "I am sick of your semantics, old fool." she stated. "Get out of my way or I will get you out of it on my own."

"And on that route all you will get is to leave." Dumbledore informed her. "For you will not find either of your targets, I promise you. You will return to Lord Voldemort having failed in your mission utterly."

Katlin paused as the old wizard's words seemed to find their mark without any hesitation.

"It does not matter." she replied in a lower tone. "He can have no less faith in me than he does now. He likely even expects me to have failed."

Dumbledore shook his head. "Voldemort has not lost faith in you, Katlin. Nothing could make him do that."

"How would you know?" she ask, her voice dark and low.

The old wizard smiled at her. "Empathy, child."

"Empathy?" Katlin could hardly keep from laughing at the old man. "What empathy could you possibly have with the dark lord?"

"A great deal, actually." Dumbledore answered her soberly. "I understand the man better than you think."

Katlin folded her arms again. "He says you are a fool. And a misguided one at that."

Dumbledore laughed slightly. "I am sure he does."

Katlin sighed to herself. She seemed to be doing nothing more here than entertaining the old fool.

"You said you had advice, old man. Let me hear it, and then get out of my way!"

The old wizard fixed a very hard, serious stare on her. "Talk to Orion, Katlin. Hear what he has to say."

"Why should I?" she fired back. "Give me one good reason........and I will."

The old man didn't hesitate in answering her. "Because you need answers, and you have none."

"I have all I need."

"You say you are being lied to, Katlin. And you are right. But currently it is to yourself."

"More semantics."

Dumbledore shook his head. "I told you you were free to go at any time. I will even show you to the front doors. But that is all you will get from me."

Katlin pulled her wand up again and pointed it at the old man. "You will take me to the Auror, old man, or I will kill you where you stand."

"We've already discussed this, Katlin." Dumbledore stated. "And I am more than willing to put my words to the test if need be."

Katlin stood for a very long time with her wand pointed at the old man before her. She had backed off from killing him once because she believed him unarmed. But not five minutes later he had produced her wand.

Perhaps this time he was hiding another wand somewhere as well.

Or perhaps he wasn't.

Katlin fought furiously with her doubts. But in the end, the wand slowly lowered.

"You are not my target." she stated. The reason was pitious, but it was the only one she could come up with at the moment. "And Voldemort did not order me to kill you."

Dumbledore smiled at her. "Then I am grateful I have not earned any more of his attention." he replied.

"However, know that on principle alone I should have killed you from the start."

The old wizard continued to smile at her. "Then I am equally grateful to have earned so much of your attention, that you chose not to."

Katlin sighed quietly to herself. The old man was either devilishly clever or a raving lunatic.

The problem was she wasn't sure which.

"What is it you want, old man?" she stated, pointing her wand back at him. "I have business to attend to."

"Finding your 'target'?"

"Yes."

"I have already told you, child. You will never find Mr. Black as long as the castle refuses to allow you to do so."

"Then I suggest you change its mind." Katlin stated, her wand again pointed menacingly at the old wizard.

But the old man only calmly shook his head. "I can't do that." he replied. "The castle has quite a mind of its own. And it has no intention of allowing Mr. Black to come to any harm."

"Really?" Katlin practically sneered at him. "And why is that? Was he its favorite student here or so?"

The old man shrugged. "Not particularly that I was aware. No. I think it has more to do with the fact that Mr. Black helped set up the wards about this school that keep it safe from intruders."

Katlin laughed. "Really? Then your castle should drop him out of the air before me as a matter of course. Because his wards are not doing as well of a job as it thinks."

The old man frowned. "Really? And how is that?"

Katlin quickly decided the old wizard was a raving lunatic. "Because, old fool," she stated, gesturing to herself. "I am here. A Deatheater. One of Voldemort's Elite, no less. And yet by a simple spell, the Deatheaters have managed to break through your castle's precious wards. Without alerting a soul inside." Katlin paused briefly, realizing she may have been a bit rash in revealing such a piece of information. But she had made her point, and that was what mattered to her at the moment. "So, oh great castle," she announced to the walls on either side of her, "your grand protector is not as great as you seem to think."

Katlin turned back to the old wizard. She expected him to look at the very least minorly alarmed at her pronouncement. But instead she met the same irritating smile as he again shook his head.

"What?" she stated.

"The castle's wards did not fail to protect it, Katlin." he replied. "In fact, they did just as they were suppose to."

"You regularly let Deatheaters in then?"

"Only one." he answered. "And I am sorry, but it is not by any spell a Deatheater cast."

"Not by a spell?"

"Not by one cast by a Deatheater, child. The spell that got you through the wards was cast by the wards' caster." The old man carefully pointed to the small pendent hidden under her robes. "Placed on your necklace, I believe."

Katlin's hand subconsciously went to her throat, feeling the small pendent under the material.

"My pendent? Why would I have such a spell on my pendent?"

The old man gave an amusingly exasperated look at the ceiling. "Ah, more questions." he stated, turning back to her. "But I suppose you have no desire to have those answered either. Well, come along, child. The corridors are too cold for me this time of the night. I will take you to the front doors and you may be on your way."

Katlin watched as the old wizard fearlessly turned his back on her and began to walk away.

"Just a moment!" Katlin tried to sound authoritative, but somehow missed entirely and ended with sounding very desperate. "Why would anyone place such a spell on my pendent? And how do I even know what you told me is true?"

The old man continued to walk. "I have no idea. And you don't." he replied, answering each question in turn.

As Katlin all but ran to catch up to him, the old man stopped abruptly and turned to her. "But I know who can answer your questions." he said with that small, maddening smile.

"The Auror." Katlin stated with disgust. The old man was just leading her about by the nose, and she was quite tired of it. "Well, he can keep his answers. I have no interest in them."

The old wizard shrugged, then turned about and continued on. "Very well. Come along then."

Katlin paused, then hurried after him. If nothing else, walking with him gave her what she needed. Time to sort of few things out. But keeping up with the old man proved a task in and of itself. The potion was still working against her mobility, and she found again all she could do was shuffle after him.

"Just a minute!" Katlin called to the retreating figure.

The blue robes in front of her halted, then came back to where she was.

"Is there a problem?"

"I..........," Katlin wasn't about to admit to any disadvantage. But she had to tell him something. "What if I agree to talk to the Auror?" she ask instead, since she could think of absolutely nothing else to say.

The old man smiled. "Then I will take you to him."

"That simple?"

The old wizard nodded. "That simple."

Katlin paused for a very long time. What if she agreed to hear him out? So what? He couldn't tell her anything she would believe anyway. He had lied before. He would likely be lying now. And it would at least give her one last attempt at her target...or at least one of them.

What could it hurt?

"Very well." she responded finally in a very regal tone. "I choose to stay then, and talk to your Auror."

The old man's smile lit his whole face. "Wonderful!" he stated. But his smile quickly faded. "Oh, but I am afraid you will have to do so without your wand, Katlin. I can't allow that, you understand."

Katlin hesitated.

"You may keep it until I take you to him."

The added offer shocked her slightly. But she quickly accepted it with a small nod. At least until then, she had some additional protection. Once she was face to face with the Auror she would deal with things from there.

The old wizard turned and headed off down the corridor. But he abruptly stopped again, nearly causing Katlin to run into him as she set her feet in motion and quickly shuffled off after him.

"Oh, and I do think you would benefit from a few hours rest first, child." he offered kindly. "Our Madam Pomfrey's potions have a way of sneaking up on you. Why, I remember her giving me one once, when I was a good deal younger, mind you, and then deciding that I wanted to go off for a walk down by the forest. Well, she had warned me about going off anywhere, suggesting strictly that I go to bed instead. But I was quite sure I would have no trouble, and so off I went for my walk. Well, just shortly after leaving the castle............."

****

(Scene Change)

Katlin never did remember what happened to the old wizard after he left the castle. All she knew next was that she woke up back in the infirmary, a very irritated guard looking down at her. A large bandage over one eye.

Katlin quickly pulled back in the bed. The first thing she registered was that her hand was wrapped tightly about a thin pole.

Her wand!

She quickly pulled it out and pointed it at the man.

"Right then." he stated without so much as moving a muscle at the threatened assault other than to turn his head over his shoulder. "She's up then, Professor." he called.

The curtain behind him pulled back and the old wizard peered about it.

"Ah, very good." he stated, stepping around it as the guard more or less stormed out of the small curtained room. "How are you feeling, Ms. Griss?"

Katlin slowly lowered her wand as the earlier events came back to her.

"Better." she stated slowly. Oddly enough, she did feel remarkably better than she last remembered. "How long have I been asleep?"

"A few hours."

"What time is it?"

"Well past breakfast, I'm afraid. But I am sure the house elves wouldn't mind getting you something to eat. A bit of toast and bacon, perhaps?"

Katlin's stomach all but jumped at the offer. Perhaps a bit of food wasn't a bad idea. And she had her wand still. She could check it for any poisons or potions added to it.

She quickly nodded and the old wizard disappeared around the corner again.

A few moments later a small creature, just about only as high as her bed, appeared with a tray. It seemed so nervous it could hardly hold the tray still in its shaking hands. It managed to set it on the table next to her bed and then quickly scampered out of the room again.

Katlin watched it disappear around the curtain, then quickly turned her attention to the tray. A wonderful array of toast, rolls, biscuits, bacon, and eggs beaconed to her from the table. Along with a pitcher of orange juice and a glass. But Katlin held back as she pulled out her wand and performed a quick spell on it.

But no warnings appeared to alert her to any poisons.

But perhaps the old man had cast a spell on her wand? Made it unable to detect such things.

Katlin pulled back in the bed, still staring wistfully at the tray as her mouth watered.

"Here, aren't you going to eat?" a voice ask.

Katlin looked up to see the young guard standing at the curtain, watching her. She simply stared at him, then shook her head.

"Bloody Deatheaters." he stated with disgust. "Think the whole worlds out to poison the lot of you. Well, Professor Dumbledore said you was to be treated right good. Nothing funny." the man pointed to his bandage. "That's all that's keeping me from paying you back a right good one for this."

Katlin stared up at the young guard, saying nothing. She watched as he walked in and grabbed the tray table and swung it away from her, pulling up a chair for himself. "Well, as that I've gots to watch you, and I see no reason in letting good food go to waste," he added, holding a piece of toast up to her, "cheers, Love."

Katlin watched the young man heartily dig into the food. She carefully fingered her wand. Maybe the poison just didn't effect him?

If she could test her wand, she could prove if it was working or not. Katlin pulled it up slightly, but paused. The guard might think she was trying to attack him or so.

Katlin cast a slight glance at the young man. To her surprise, he was watching her with some interest.

"Go on." he stated past a mouthful of eggs and toast. "You can't hurt me with the thing. Professor saw to that. Do whatever you like."

Katlin paused, then quickly pointed her wand at a roll on the tray. It quickly lifted off the tray and flew into her waiting hand.

"Here, there's only one of those!" the young man complained.

Only one? Possibly they poisoned just the one and the guard knew not to take it.

Katlin quickly levitated it back to the tray.

The guard huffed at the act, then picked the roll up and broke it in two, offering half to her.

Katlin paused with wide eyes, then slowly reached out and took the offered roll from him. She practically stuffed it down, not realizing just how hungry she was.

"Here, that's what I like." he stated with the smallest touch of a smile. "A woman with a good appetite."

Katlin quickly finished the roll, but held back from taking anything more. But noting her stare, the guard broke a another roll in half and handed it to her, quickly biting into his own half.

And so the meal progressed. It wasn't long before Katlin stopped only taking what was offered to her and had the guard fix her a plate of what she wanted. It was only then that she noted that the tray indeed had had two plates set on it, as well as two glasses, one set inside the other.

Katlin didn't speak one word to her guard past what she told him to give her, but kept a careful watch on him as she ate. The man had already stated he was far to eager to pay her back for her earlier actions to suit her liking. But the young man seemed to pay her little mind as he took several additional helpings off the tray.

As for herself, Katlin only ate the one portion. That on top of three roll halves she felt was more than adequate to clear her senses.

But finally an hour or so later another house elf appeared, followed closely behind by the old wizard. But whereas the first elf had been small and thin, this one certainly did not look as though he lacked a healthy appetite.

"Did you enjoy your breakfast, Ms. Griss?" he asked. "I do hope the food was to your liking."

"She ate just fine once she had decided we wasn't trying to knock her off with no poison." the guard eagerly informed the Headmaster.

"Poison?" Dumbledore stated with a slight chuckle. "Oh no. That is the last thing you would have to worry about here, Ms Griss." he stated as the elf took the tray off the table. "The house elves take a great deal of pride in the food they prepare. If anyone were to try poisoning it, they would never let them hear the end of it. Would you, Dairs?"

The elf looked up at Dumbledore, then turned to Katlin. "Something is wrong with Daies' food?" he asked with all the subtly of someone having insulted the headwaiter at an upper-class restaurant.

"Ms. Griss was simply concerned her food might have been poisoned, Dairs." the old wizard answered.

The little elf's frown deepened into a scowl as he stared up at her. "Poison?" he asked. "Poison?"

Katlin was sure the poor little creature was about to explode right in front of her as his face got redder by the moment.

"Dairs food is not poison!" he stated. "Dairs has cooked for some of the highest ranking of the wizard world. None complains of poison!" The elf turned on his heel and stormed out of the room. "Poison indeed."

Dumbledore watched the stout little elf leave with a bemused smile before turning back to Katlin.

"He is so easily offended." he stated.

Katlin paused as she settled herself back down from the elf's tirade. "So, aside from checking on how I liked Dairs' food, what else brings you here?" she asked.

Dumbledore smiled back at her. "I am here to take you to see Mr. Black."

****

Q&A

(The first reviews are the old answers to my first posting of Chapter Forty-Five. New answers follow those.)

Silverfox:

Poor Johnathan is operating under the delusion he has it all under control. But in the next few chapters Katlin is going to show the man he has missed with the wrong Elite. And not happy enough with just the potential that that alone offered for trouble, he went ahead and dragged an Unspeakable into the mix. Some people just don't know when to stop. And Johnathan is one of them. Since he continued on in his quest and also involved Voldemort. If it ever hits the fan, he'll be lucky to get out alive.

Yes, it would take one Harry Potter to get rid of the top guy. Unfortunately, Harry is currently laying in his playpen, happily cuddling his blanky.

True. Treaks is up against some heavy fan club competition.

Genius boggart? Never heard Bo described that way before. And true, Orion discounts Bo's statements a bit too often. But Orion also has a very naive view of Bo. To him the boggart is mostly harmless. And that's not entirely wrong. I mean, Bo isn't suddenly going to turn evil or anything. I have no plans for that. At least not for no reason. But when the wheels start turning and you can practically smell the smoke standing next to him, the boggart is not a creature to be taken lightly. After all, Bo is, for all intents and purposes, nothing more than a powerful force given a personality (and I use that word loosely). But he is basically non-corporeal. The only reason he has the robes about him is so you know where he is. With that in mind, note that he is no idiot. The only thing that makes him seem so is, one, he's not in his 'realm'. Go to Mexico without any prior information and knowing not so much as 'si', and see how well you do. And two, he may be a powerful force, but he's currently stuck in the mind of a three year old. Which he seems to actually be enjoying.

But in the end, dear, yes, Orion would do well to pay more attention to Bo.

Ohhhhhhh........., you have been thinking on this one. And I will say this to you. Remember how I always said, if you get something right, but it hasn't been in the story yet, I won't answer you? With that in mind, we move on to the next part.

First off, yes, the foreign power is Voldemort's.

Next, no, it is not the same thing as between Orion and Charly. Katlin is a true, full-blooded witch.

You lost me with the silver hand reasoning, Dear.

Next, all I'm saying is, 'what makes you so sure?'.

No, no memory spell. The story as Katlin told it to Orion is 100% accurate.

How does being a host shorten one's life but extends Bo's? Bo is not a human, Dear. He's a magical creature (for lack of a better term). Or at least, that is what the boggart part of him is. The 'Power' itself is a non-corporeal entity. It's not a person or a thing really. It's pure magical power......with a personality (see above disclaimer). So, how long do boggart's live? We were never told. But I'm assuming longer than humans or wizards. If I ever said specifically that being part of the 'Power' extended the boggart's lifespan, I apologize. That was wrong. I only meant to imply that boggarts seem to live longer than humans or wizards and witches.

What's more adorable than a kitty? The sight of someone else taking it home. (Get off of me, people! I've had more cats than you will ever dream of. Almost all strays.)

How does it help Dumbledore gain an ally by being nice to her? Dumbledore is thinking into the future, Dear. Nothing specific. Just 'better a friend than a enemy'.

Talon would not be dismally disappointed to see his son separated from his wand, no. Probably offer to buy him a new one if he thought Orion would accept. But is Talon the first person on that list? Not by a long shot.

OK. The next part. 'Being a channeler is not a big factor in one's life'. I had to go a re-read my answer last time to see how you came up with that one, Dear. And once I did re-read it I could see how. Bad wording on my part. Being a channeler for Bo is a very big part of Orion's life. As callously as he seems to treat the boggart at times, he is very devoted to his childhood friend. Bo is a tremendous influence on Orion's life. All in all it's a very big 'mutual-admiration society' they have going on, Dear. However, what I meant to imply, and got so very wrong, was that Bo was not a big factor in the circumstances that made Orion's second wand choose him. Hence 'Bo was not a big factor in Orion's life when he got his second wand'. Was that better, Dear?

Next, again, I never meant to imply Orion accepted the separation docilely. And when he told the story to Katlin, he was very plain that he didn't. He was very angry at his father. But he was also eleven years old and extremely confused about why his father was so angry and at the same time so afraid for him. He didn't see that he had done anything wrong. For months he had been playing with the boggart. And Bo had become a sort of mentor to him. A compassionate adult figure in his life. Basically, Bo had become a friend. Then suddenly, his father comes into the picture, tells him he's not to see his friend anymore and proceeds to tell him his friend is really out to hurt him and has been lying to him. That makes for a whole lot of anger and whole lot of confusion for an eleven year old. Plus, Orion now finds that he's a channeler for a potentially very powerful and very enigmatic force. That's a lot for an eleven year old to handle. (Granted, he didn't find out he could channel the 'Power' until later, but still..........).

Why would any of that effected my ability to post this chapter, Dear?

skahducky:

Bit short for you, Dear. But I understand finals and fried brain cells. Hope you do well on them.

Hey, 'best laid plans........', Dear. Indeed, something could go wrong no matter how well you plan it.

Yes, Katlin is starting to think things through. Problem is, she's REALLLLLLLLLLLLY thinking things through now. Something that can lead to problems.

Nessie:

I get several comments on the 'fatherly-Voldemort' thing. But as I pointed out last chapter to Sirius-ly disturbed, Voldemort has not had the encounter with baby Harry yet. In PAR's universe, one would imagine that facing a Killing Curse and surviving it could be a bit detrimental to one's mental state. But that hasn't happened yet. And Katlin has stayed with the man all these years, is totally devoted to him and his cause, and sees him as something of a father-figure in her life. She's also somewhat intelligent and would not likely hook up that closely to someone who was nuttier than pecan pie and abused and abased her all these years. Katlin is also not the proud possessor of an 'abused victim' personality, and had Voldemort been that way to her, the only believable reaction would have been her kicking his arse.....regularly. He couldn't have been a raving, homicidal maniac all that time and managed as well to have gained so much love and devotion from Katlin.

Wasn't The Godfather a book before it was a movie?

Stay good, Dear.

****

FAMILY RELATIONS

Someone:

A lot of my responses deal with Family Relations, Dear. Probably because, despite it has not yet come out, it is a very popular story. Go figure.

And I think the story you were referring to was Ode to Harry Potter Summaries, which was my one and currently only poem based story based on all the bad summaries I have read.

But in relation to these notes you are talking about, Dear, what exactly was in them you had a suggestion about?

Thank you for saying I have a talent for writing. that is very kind.

I am working on Family Relations, (the sequel to Family Life). And I do hope it lives up to everyone's expectations. Look for it around August or September of 2004.

Reviews are as of 06192004.

And remember;

If I don't write it down, I'll forget it. (Now where did I put my pen?)

(From 06192004)

Sirius-ly disturbed:

Not such a fun time? Depends on 'for who', doesn't it?

Oh, such questions!

OK, slowly, from the top.

One, Bo's Memory Charm, as well as Dumbledore's aren't really 'failing'. At least not on their own. They are being set against by another spell which was placed by Bo to make sure the Memory Charms had only a limited life-span, so to speak. As the effectiveness of the Memory Charms wore off, Katlin started to slowly regain her memory. The problem was, she did so in the form of dreams. And with no one there to tell her what her dreams actually were, she disregarded them. As the dreams continued to strengthen, so was her memory coming back more and more clearly. Left on her own, she would have eventually remembered everything in the space of a few months. The problem being, she would have considered it all just some dream and not real.

Why couldn't Voldemort sense the Memory Charms? Yes, Dear. Because of Bo. And even as powerful as he is, Voldemort's power is no where even close to that the boggart could yield. That, of course, is balanced out by the fact that Bo doesn't know just how powerful he is.

Treaks' wanted to marry Katlin? He does, Dear. Because she is nearly the last rung on the ladder of his climb to power. The last being Voldemort. And since he couldn't circumvent her, he decided to get control of her by marrying her. But wanting 'her'. No. Even Katlin pointed out how maddening it was to her that of all the men who wanted to marry her, the one she was marrying was the one who didn't love her at all.

Never say never, Dear. And I was a faithful BVS watcher right until Angel left the show. (Bummer.) Then I watched it only occasionally. I kind of could see Treaks as an earlier 'Spike', before the 'Buffy' writers gave him a soul and all that.

Voldemort indeed feels some affiliation with Katlin. She is a orphan, her family and her life destroyed by people she utterly trusted. People she had been raised to love and protect. But anything special about her? Even Katlin said it; "There's nothing special about me. I'm not even a very good witch." But what she is good at, Voldemort exploits to its limit. Katlin has within herself a burning hatred that never found an outlet. Voldemort provided one for her. He took her in early, before she could channel that energy anywhere else, and he taught her to hate. That is a very dangerous lesson to give to a very impressionable 15-year-old girl. And everything was going very nicely until someone interfered. (Guess who.) Now suddenly, Katlin is learning to trust someone else. Or at least she was. And that is, in part, what is messing her up so badly. The one other person in the world she ever felt she could possibly begin to trust, betrayed her. That has left her feeling more than ever that the only person worthy of her trust...is Voldemort.

Bo isn't that hard to understand, Dear. Really. Not at his basic points. Simply put, you have a massively powerful entity (not a person, a 'power'), which has been given a personality and a form with which to interact with us humans. Problem is, all of this is tied up in the mind of a three year old. Dangerous? You bet. Thankfully, Bo has Orion, who views the boggart as a friend and confidant, and acts as sort of a daycare worker for the boggart.

Poor Orion.

nessie:

You're understanding the story? Could you draw up an outline and e-mail it to me, Dear? Would help me out immensely.

Wait. You understand the story.................but you don't understand who Treaks is working for? Dear, that's the easiest part. Treaks is working for himself. And you'll notice that whenever he is appearing very loyal to Voldemort, one of two things is going on. Either Voldemort is in the room, or being nice is working to Treaks advantage at the moment. Bottom line, he's out for himself, Dear.

What is Snape doing in Orion's room? Let's go back a minute. If you remember, Katlin left the door to Orion's room open. Not all the way, but enough to attract attention. Which is exactly what it did with Snape. And Snape is a (former) Deatheater. Dear, he would know who Katlin is. As well as likely know her voice. And hearing it within the castle walls could not mean anything good. So he investigated. All very innocent, you see? So get your mind out of the gutter. Honestly!

You don't like my loving-Voldemort rendition? Come on. Give him a try. You're going to see a LOT more of him. Besides, I hold to the idea that this being pre-Harry Potter Encounter, he is still relatively sane and can speak in coherent sentences, some of which even fail to mention murdering muggles in any way, shape, or form.

Silverfox:

Sigh What is it with you guys and Snape being in Orion's bedroom? Go see nessie's answer above. I'm not writing that all out again.

Katlin most definitely is not forgetting Treaks. Voldemort, however, is a coin toss. Treaks is, after all, his third-in-command. A highly rated Deatheater and good at his job. He just needs to be watched a little more closely, as that he is sneaky and devious and highly homicidal.

It would be very hard to compare Bo to his own kind. I feel no need to emphasize 'why'.

You're very good, Dear. I'm giving you a gold star for that last piece of deductive reasoning (gold star that Fanfiction's new format keeps deleting for no apparent reason).

And that's my new and improved gold star, by the way. But yes, Bo's current state suits his circumstances very well. The problem is, he needs something of a caretaker. Enter Orion.

Offering to buy him a new wand is sort of the 'non-violent' way of separating him from his first one. And Talon is more inclined to go for that option, since Orion is, after all, his son. However, there are those about who would not hesitate to opt for the 'prying his cold fingers from around it' choice.

Cold and scary? Not really. Cold and stoic maybe. More of a 'loose cannon' than anything (Where do you think Orion gets it from?). But sadly, Orion and his father have not been close since he was about........oh........eleven? But up until then, Orion was daddy's pride and joy. Imagine how hard it had to be to go from being your father's center of attention to something he barely even acknowledged. And it wasn't out of hatred or disappointment on Talon's part. He simply didn't know what to do with his son anymore. The family had never had a simple 'channeler', only hosts. Now his son had access to this incredibly dangerous power, and Talon isn't sure just how much or how far Orion can tap into it. And the boy ain't talking because he figures doing so would endanger his friend. The only thing that really keeps them talking is Orion's mother, Adrianna. She is the lead rod in the nuclear reactor. And a vital role she plays. Consider what could happen if Orion and his father ever really got into a fight. Orion is the channeler and Talon is the host. Interesting.

Reviews are as of 06272004.

And remember;

May God grant you always,

A sunbeam to warm you,

A moonbeam to charm you,

A sheltering Angel,

So nothing can harm you.


	56. Chapter FortySix: Well What Did You Expe...

A/N: Remember those 'book chapters' I told you about a few chapters back?

Guess what? OK. It's not as long as the last chapter. But it's still got promise.

Also, follow the progress of the pendent, folks. It's important.

And yes, the title is sort of an inside joke most of you should get.

Happy 4th of July to those in America.

So sit back, relax,

and as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: What do you mean they have witnesses?

****

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX: WELL WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?

Katlin sat at the table in the small room with her hands resting on it, clasp so tightly together that her knuckles were white. This is where the old wizard had brought her and where he had ask her to wait.

She wasn't sure what was going to happen now. The only thing she was truly sure of was that more than anything in the world she did not want to be in that room. Something inside of her was begging silently for her to run for the door. To get out of that room and to keep running and not stop until she reached the lair.

It was the running part that kept her in the room.

What was she so frightened of that she was emotionally trying to escape it?

The door opened and her head snapped up at the sound.

She knew the man entering the room. Something tightened in her chest at the sight of him.

A pain.

A hurt.

She simply couldn't find the right words for it. Nothing definable.

And so she did the same with it what she did with the fear. She buried it so deeply within herself that it no longer distracted her. The old wizard had said she should talk to the Auror. That she should listen to him. That it was important.

"Hello, Katlin." The man said softly.

Katlin only nodded slightly.

"Do you know me?" He asked.

Katlin almost laughed at the question.

"What sort of question is that?" She replied. "Of course I know you." Katlin hardened her tone. "You are the man I was sent here to kill. Along with the traitor."

"But you didn't kill me." Orion stated slowly as he stood near the door, keeping his distance. It was a comfort zone for her. Trying not to make her feel closed in or defensive.

"I didn't kill the traitor either. What does that prove?"

"Why didn't you kill me?"

"I didn't have the opportunity."

"You had plenty of opportunity. But you were so distracted by something else, you never took it."

"I wasn't distracted."

"Really? And yet a man came into the room while you were there and you never sensed him or heard him. He says you sat there a good full minute, never making so much as a move against me."

Katlin hardened her expression. Someone was talking far too much for her liking. Someone who was going to pay.

"The man who fired the stunning spell says you were sitting on the side of my bed." Orion went on. "He said you weren't doing anything more than just staring at me."

Katlin dropped her eyes. She had hesitated. That was true. And it had cost her her kill.

"Katlin." Orion asked again. "Why didn't you kill me?"

Katlin slowly raised her eyes to meet those of the Auror. She knew all their tricks. Aurors could look right into your soul if they wanted to. Read your thoughts it seemed. Recite back to you what you were thinking almost verbatim.

But the man before her was just looking at her. Waiting for her answer.

But she wasn't going to play his game. If he thought being nice to her would get her to drop her guard, he was very sadly mistaken.

"The old wizard said you had answers for me." she stated defiantly, raising her chin as she faced the man's stare.

The expression that answered her wasn't the least bit challenging. It was open and honest. The two things she mistrusted the most.

"I suppose that would depend on the questions." he replied.

Katlin stared up at the man for a very long time. She would have thought at that moment, given the circumstances, she would have wanted nothing more than to kill him. But she knew that even if she had a wand in her hand right then, she would still do nothing to harm him.

"Semantics." she stated a little less forcefully.

"Then I'll try to be a little less clever."

"That shouldn't be too hard, Auror."

The man's expression hardened ever so slightly. "Don't fight with me, Katlin." he stated in a less gentle tone. "That isn't what we're here to do."

"The only thing I am here to do is to complete my mission." she stated.

"Will you forget about your damned mission for a moment." came the slightly sharper reply. "Or is that all you want? No answers. No explanations. Just 'kill the Auror' and be done with it."

"And the traitor." Katlin added with a small, unfriendly smile.

"Fine." Orion stated. "You want to kill so badly? That is all you are interested in?"

Katlin pulled back slightly as she watched the man reached into his robes and pull out a wand. But her whole attention suddenly forced on the thin sheath of wood as she recognized it.

Her wand!

The Auror pulled it from his robes and dropped it on the table.

"Then kill me." he stated firmly. "Kill me. Kill your traitor. Go back to Voldemort and proudly tell him how you 'completed your mission'. And you go back to your life.........never knowing your answers. Because I am the only person who can give them to you."

Katlin hesitated, staring at the wand laying on the table before her. What was the matter with her!? The Auror was handing her his life. And that of the traitor. She could kill them both and be gone before anyone even knew she had escaped.

"What's the matter little Deatheater?" a slightly harsher voice cut into her indecision. "You have your opportunity. The one you have begged for so badly."

Katlin's eyes didn't move off of her wand. She needed time to think.

Orion picked the wand up and slammed it down in front of her. "Well, what are you waiting for!?" he yelled practically in her face.

Katlin was out of the chair before Orion even saw her move. Wand in hand, she grabbed him by the collar. A solid shove threw him against the wall behind him, the tip of her wand digging into his neck. If he wasn't going to give her time to think, then she had to act. Those were her choices.

She expected to see shock, even anger answering her action in his eyes. She prayed to see fear there.

But all she saw was a sparkling amusement that only served to anger her that much more.

"Well?" he ask.

Katlin looked up at him, meeting his stare.

Why was she hesitating again? The wand was her's. She could feel it. There was no disabling spell on it.

Why was she hesitating!?

How many of her people had this man killed? How many of Voldemort's loyal followers were in Azkaban because of him? Because of who he was. What he was.

Katlin felt her hand begin to shake.

She fought to gain control over it again.

'He is your enemy!' a tiny voice shouted at her. 'The enemy of Voldemort. Your only need is to kill him.'

But that wasn't the only need she felt. And the other one was rapidly gaining ground within her.

Katlin wasn't sure how long she simply stood there with her wand tip pressed to the Auror's neck. But as hard as she fought to keep it there, she felt her arm slowly relax and the wand begin to inch it's way back.

Her own expression must have surely betrayed her fear to the Auror. Why couldn't she do this!?

'Kill him!' the tiny voice screamed one last time.

But as her wand tip slipped from his neck, the little voice was drowned out completely by the Auror's actions.

Suddenly gathered up in his arms, Katlin found herself drawn into the most passionate kiss she could ever remember.

Which in and of itself wasn't so confusing. His kiss she could explain away. He was in love with her. He had said so in the infirmary.

But the other kiss wasn't so easily explained away. The one she was returning it with.

Nothing in her whole life felt so right to her as where she was right then. Held in the Auror's arms and more love than she had ever felt being poured out in that one kiss.

It felt so very right.

No!

Katlin forced herself back.

With her hands against the man's chest she shoved herself back, breaking free of his embrace as she stumbled back against the table. She was grateful for the chair that was there as she collapsed into it, her hands gripping the edge of the table as she fought to hold herself upright.

The Auror was instantly at her side.

"Katlin? Love, are you all right?"

Two protective arms went about her shoulder and arm. But Katlin ignored them. She ignored the concerned tone in his voice. The worried look that patiently waited for her answer. The sound of her wand as it slipped from her hand and fell to the floor.

She ignored it all.

All she could concentrate on was the war of emotions going on within her.

"What is happening to me?" she ask in barely a whisper.

"Katlin, please, listen to me."

Katlin turned a frightened, anxious look to the man next to her. "What is wrong with me?"

A look of pain crossed the man's face. For a moment Katlin thought he would break into tears right before her. But he quickly shut his eyes as he slowly got to his feet and pulled back from her. She watched as he carefully bent down and picked up her wand. She expected him to hand it back to her, but instead he walked over to the opposite side of the table and sat down. He laid the wand on the table between them, easily within her reach. But she made no attempt to take it.

For a few moments the man simply sat and stared at the table top. He hardly seemed to know where to begin.

"Your confusion," he said slowly, as though feeling his way with the utmost care with each word, "is in part the result of a Memory Charm that is failing."

"A Memory Charm?"

"You've been under one for the past two months."

Katlin thought about the new information. Two months? Her dreams had started just over a month ago.

"This Memory Charm," she asked slowly but with a renewed conviction in her voice, "who placed it?"

"That doesn't matter right now."

Her voice took on an even harder edge. "You said you would answer my questions. Now again, who placed the Memory Charm on me?"

Orion sighed to himself. "Dumbledore."

Katlin paused, then laughed slightly. "Dumbledore? The old wizard?"

Orion nodded.

Katlin laughed again. "Well, he has played me for a great fool, hasn't he? Leading me about and knowing all this while what was really going on. All his talk of truth. He was the biggest liar of all."

"If Dumbledore said nothing to you, Katlin, he had his reasons."

"Because he liked having his little game, that's what."

"This is no game, Katlin. Believe me."

"And why should I trust anything you have to say?"

"Because I have very little to say."

"Semantics."

"Perhaps. But all I am interested in is trying to help you."

"Then that should be easy. Simply tell me what someone wanted so badly for me to forget."

"I can't do that."

"Why? Don't you know?"

Orion paused, then shook his head. "No. I know what it is, Katlin."

"Really? And how is that?"

Orion stared intently at her. "Because I'm the one who told it to you in the first place."

"You?" Katlin's brow furrowed in a deep frown. "What could you possible have told me that I would have cared to have heard? And why would I have even listened?"

Orion paused for a very long time.

Across the table Katlin simply sat in silence and watched him. She couldn't understand why he wrestled so with each statement. Why not just get it over with?

"If you have something to say," she stated finally, the silence grating on her nerves, "then get on with it. Otherwise call your guards....."

But Orion looked up suddenly.

"There are no guards, Katlin." He said quickly.

"No guards?"

Orion shook his head. "Once we're done, you are free to do as you please."

Katlin gave him a puzzled look.

"I can leave?"

"If you chose to."

Katlin's interest peaked again.

"All right. Have your say then, Auror. Because I'm eager to return to my home."

Orion sat for a few seconds, staring intently at his hands.

"Katlin, you have to understand.......what I have to say....is something that could hurt you. Hurt you very badly."

Katlin met his stare with her usual cold indifference.

"Why should you care?"

Orion shook his head. "Oh, Love, that is something I never, ever want to do again."

"Again?" Katlin stared at him across the table. "When I was in the infirmary, you said you loved me. Is that what you need to tell me? That you're in love with me?" She gave a short, derisive laugh as she sat back in her chair. "I hear that every day, Black. It's nothing new....."

But the statement seemed to rouse something in the Auror.

"We were going to be married, Katlin." He stated bluntly.

Katlin stopped short in what she was saying.

"What?"

"We were planning to be married. The date...." He started the sentence, but let it trail off.

Katlin stared at him. "When?" She asked evenly.

Orion turned his eyes back to her.

"Today." He said slowly. "We were suppose to be....married today."

The man seemed close to some sort of emotional collapse. But after a few moments he turned an utterly expressionless face back to her.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly.

"That's quite alright." Katlin replied, although she couldn't seem to put quite the sarcasm into the statement she wanted. "It seems to hurt you more than it does me."

"And I would give anything ask of me to keep it that way." Orion replied without hesitation.

"Then let me go and you'll have your wish."

Orion paused. But then, slowly he got up and went to the door. Turning back to Katlin he slowly opened it and stood aside.

"If that's all it takes," He said softly, "and that is what you want, then go. Leave. Go back to your people. Live your life. And I pray you will be happy in it."

Katlin studied the man very carefully. There was some trick here. Some objective in all of this for him. But the harder she looked for it, the less likely it seemed to be there. All of his actions seemed genuine. No hidden agenda. No tricks. No traps. And worst of all for her, no lies.

"The old wizard said I was to listen to you." Katlin replied. "That this was important."

Orion stared at her for a moment more, then finally closed the door and slowly returned to his seat.

She confidently met his stare. But to Orion's relief, her's had softened somewhat.

"You know me." She said. "How well?"

Orion couldn't help but suppress a small laugh. "Very well."

"And what is 'very' well?"

"We were going to be married. How well do you think we knew each other?"

Katlin's silence re-ask the question for her.

Orion sighed quietly to himself. "You won't like the answer." he told her with a solidly stoic expression.

"Tell me." She said.

Orion paused for a moment. "We were lovers."

Orion wasn't sure from her expression if the news shocked her or not. But after a few seconds passed in silence, Katlin faced him down with a completely neutral expression. "You're lying. I would never have an Auror as my lover."

"I can prove it."

"How?"

"You wear a small pendant around your neck." He said quietly.

Katlin's hand almost subconsciously went to the small pendent with the diamond center. She pulled it from beneath her robes and held it out for Orion.

"May I see it?" He asked, holding out his hand.

Katlin pulled back, quickly stuffing the small pendent back beneath her robes. "I don't take it off." She replied.

"Why not?"

Katlin paused, but quickly re-gathered her thoughts.

"I like it. And so I chose to keep it on." That sounded a good deal better than saying she simply felt taking it off was wrong.

"Do you know where you got it?" Orion asked her.

Katlin thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure."

"Not sure?"

"Voldemort told me once when I asked that....he said someone....someone close to me had given it to me a long time ago."

"Well, I'll have to thank him for that one day I suppose."

"Thank him?"

"Katlin," Orion said softly, "I gave you that pendent."

"You did?"

"The second time we met."

"The second time? You only met me twice and you gave me a gift like this?"

"Well, only because I didn't have time the first time we met."

"The first time?"

"Well, the first time I saw you really." Orion amended quickly. "It was in the middle of a field in the midst of an all out battle between the Deatheaters and my Department. There wasn't a lot of time for introductions."

"Your department?" She asked. "The Aurors." The last word was said with so much venom in it Orion could practically feel her hatred.

"Unspeakables." he stated simply.

Katlin's expression dropped. She then leaned back in her chair with a laugh. "Oh wonderful!" she stated. "I hadn't thought of that. I wasn't supposedly shagging just an Auror, but an Unspeakable." Her expression abruptly hardened. "I should have killed you."

Orion shrugged. "Wasn't the first time you tried. Wasn't the first time you nearly succeeded."

"Really. Sounds like we had a wonderful, loving relationship, Unspeakable." she practically spit at him.

"It had its moments. But I would like to point out that for all your opportunities, you never did actually kill me. Even in the field, you held off killing me."

But Katlin suddenly stopped listening. One phrase had abruptly caught her attention. 'In the field'. She staring at the table top, an intense look of concentration on her face. Why did that one phrase seem to mean so much to her?

"Katlin?" Orion prompted her attention back to him.

"I....I remember that." She replied slowly, although she didn't take her eyes off the table. "I remember the battle in that field." Katlin suddenly looked up at him, remembering the scene as though it had only happened the day before. "You grabbed my hair from behind and pulled me to the ground."

"Well, you got adequate revenge." Orion replied with a very small smile at the memory.

Katlin thought for a moment. "I remember." She replied again. "I kicked you in the...."

"Field!" Orion cut her off abruptly. " Yes. I still have nightmares, thank you."

"Served you right for pulling my hair."

"Well, considering the alternative, I'll still take the kick in the field."

"Alternative? I was handing out alternatives?"

"You could have killed me."

"Well, you did seem to have survived a few open opportunities. So, why didn't I kill you that time?"

Orion smiled slightly. "You said it was because you thought I was a woman."

"A woman!?"

Orion took a few end strands of his black hair and waved them at her in response. "It was about three feet longer." He informed her.

"Oh."

"I guess you had the same problems with killing woman that I do."

"So, what happened to it?" she ask, indicating his short hair. The man in her dreams at first had had long hair. From what she could tell as far down as his waist. And she had loved that hair.

"An accident." Orion informed her in a very neutral tone.

Katlin stared back at him. "You're lying." she stated bluntly.

Orion sighed to himself. She was still a Deatheater. Still an Elite. And she could read him as well as he could her.

"I was captured by the Deatheaters." He replied.

Katlin stared at him, but said nothing.

"Do you remember that?" he ask.

"Should I?" came the neutral response.

Apparently not. So instead he simply shrugged off the question. "You might have heard something in the lair."

Katlin suddenly straightened in her chair. "Is this whole interview going to be nothing but your lying to me?" she demanded.

Orion dropped his eyes. "I'm sorry. You're right. There was more to it than that. But it is a long story, and we've jumped far too much ahead. I was telling you about your pendent."

"Which you claim to have given me...after you had only just met me."

"Again, I can prove it."

"How?"

"It's a good deal more than just a piece of jewelry, Katlin." Orion explained. "It's charmed. Some of my best work went into that pendent. It's what got you into the castle."

Katlin huffed at him. "This again?"

"This?"

"The old wizard has already given me this story, Unspeakable. That the pendent carries a charm and that is what got me into the castle past the wards? You two would do well to check your facts before you cook up these stories."

"Stories?"

"My pendent had nothing to do with my getting past the wards."

"Really?"

"A spell enabled me to get past them, not some non-existent charm."

Orion gave her a confused stare. "Spell? What spell?"

Katlin narrowed her eyes at him. "One of the Deatheaters found a spell that got me past the wards safely. It had nothing to do with my pendent."

Orion paused for a moment. "What Deatheater?"

Katlin stared back at him in silence for a few moments before she answered. "Johnathan Treaks."

Whatever response Katlin expected, having the Auror burst into laughter wasn't one of them.

"Treaks?"

"You find the amusing?"

"Immensely. Johnathan Treaks couldn't spell his way out of a paper bag, let alone circumvent my wards."

"Well, he obviously did. Since here I am."

Orion started to say something to her, but he suddenly stopped. In those few moments Katlin watched as his expression quickly shifted to one of suspicion. "Wait a minute." he stated slowly, as though still thinking over whatever idea had suddenly struck him. "Treaks told you he had placed a spell that would get you safely past the wards?"

"Yes."

The Auror sat for several moments simply staring off into space. But finally he turned his eyes back to her. "Katlin, take the pendent off."

"What?"

"Take it off..............please."

Katlin's hand was already wrapped protectively about the small pendent. "I told you, I never take it off."

"And suppose I told you Treaks was lying to you, and………….."

"Why should Johnathan lie to me?" she quickly cut him off.

The Auror fell silent again.

"You're going to make such a claim, then give no evidence to back it up? What did you think? That I would just believe......."

"Katlin, if Treaks placed a spell on you, or on the wards, it would have to still be in place."

"What? Why?"

"The wards are set up to not only keep any of Voldemort's agents out of the castle, but prevent them from operating within the castle as well. Treaks wouldn't have

known that. He couldn't have set up a spell that would have protected you completely by anything other than dumb luck, and I don't believe he has any. But if he told you the truth, and his spell is protecting you, if you take off the pendent, nothing will happen. But if I'm telling the truth, and my suspicions are correct, once you take the pendent off, the wards will begin to seek you out. You'll feel them."

"What will they do?"

"The wards seek out dark magic and attack it. My recommendation would be you don't leave it off very long."

Katlin sat for a very long time, making no move to take the pendent off.

"Well?"

"Johnathan would never do such a thing. Voldemort would kill him."

"Prove me wrong."

Katlin paused, then reached behind her neck and undid the clasp of the necklace. With a slight hesitation she slipped it off and sat holding it in her hand, staring up at the Auror.

"You see." she said with a pleased smile. "Nothing. So who is the liar, Unspeakable?"

"Drop it on the table."

"What?"

"The necklace. You still have it in your hand. As long as you're connected to it in any way, it protects you. Drop it on the table."

Katlin paused, then slowly opened her hand. For several seconds she simply stared at the little pendent as the diamond winked at her from within its setting as it caught the light of the bulb in the lamp above the table. But finally she tilted her hand and let the little pendent slowly slide off of her palm.

For several seconds more she simply sat staring at the pendent. But she suddenly seemed to rouse herself as she pulled her hand back and smiled at the Auror.

"You see?" she stated, her smile still nervous and unsure. "Nothing has happened. Johnathan's spell is protecting me."

But the Auror met her smile with one of his own. "Give it a minute." he stated.

Katlin sat for a moment, then suddenly got to her feet. "What is this game, Unspeakable?" she stated in irritation. "You have been proven wrong. Johnathan's spell........"

But abruptly Katlin fell silent. Something in the air around her was changing. It started as a soft prickling on her neck. But it was rapidly growing until she could feel the sensation all over her body. Like a thousand tiny needles pricking at her skin.

"Well?" Orion asked.

"It's..............," Katlin paused. Past the look of utter confusion on her face Orion wasn't even sure if she felt the wards still. "It's not true." she stated, turning to face him. "He said he cast the spell. He said it would protect me."

"And he lied." Orion stated firmly. "What you're feeling are the wards I set about the castle. If Treaks had been telling the truth, you wouldn't feel anything. But he didn't know about the full effect of the wards. He didn't know they protected the inside of the castle as well as the outside. But he knew about the pendent. And he used that knowledge to get you inside the castle."

The prickling was getting worse, but Katlin never reached for the little necklace. "Why?" she asked. "Why would he lie? If he knew about the pendent, why not just tell me?"

"Because he wanted you to trust him. Whatever reason he sent you here, he needed you to trust him. Telling you his spell was what protected you against the wards was just the lie he needed to get you off your guard."

"But why?"

"He was probably hoping we would take it away from you. If you were captured, Treaks was likely betting we would take the pendent away from you so you couldn't escape back through the wards." Orion explained. But he suddenly stopped as a new thought came to him. "Or he was hoping you would try."

"What!?"

Orion turned to her with a completely sober expression. "Knowing Johnathan Treaks, in the event of your capture, he most likely believed we would take the pendent away from you, knowing its purpose. But, still believing his spell protected you, if you managed an escape, you would try to run past the wards without a second thought. But instead you would run right into them."

"You're insane!" Katlin nearly shouted at him. "You are suggesting he knew all of this? That he planned to get me killed?"

"Knowing Treaks, I'm willing to bet it was just one of his plans."

"One?"

"Treaks is no fool. He would have backup contingencies."

"You are a liar! You have no proof of any of this!"

"Really? Then lets start laying it out. Who sent you here?"

"Voldemort."

"Voldemort may have given you the mission. But who told you of it?"

Katlin paused. "That proves nothing."

Orion sat back with a satisfied smile. "In other words…..Treaks."

"There is nothing suspicious in that."

"Really? So Johnathan regularly brought word of your missions to you? Voldemort's top Elite?"

Katlin started to say something but stopped herself.

"I thought so."

"You have no idea what you are talking about. What you are suggesting." She stated, getting to her feet. "You are accusing one of Voldemort's Elite of plotting the murder of a fellow Elite."

"And in my opinion doing a very good job of it. He sent you here, lied to you about the wards…."

"Your words!" Katlin shouted at him. "And I have heard enough of them. Johnathan may envy me my position. But the man is not mad! He would never risk murdering me to get me out of the way."

"He would cut your throat if he thought he could get away with it."

"And I have heard enough from you. You have no proof of anything you are saying. While I have all the proof in the world. You say Johnathan had no way of knowing about the wards inside the castle as well. So have you proven why I can feel them in here now."

"Because you took off the necklace. Did you feel them up until then?"

"You set them up. You have control of them. You probably activated them when I tool off the necklace to prove your point. And since Johnathan didn't know of them, his spell isn't protecting me inside the castle."

"Katlin, that isn't..........."

"Well, you have undone yourself, Unspeakable." she practically hissed at him, "Because I can prove the words of a Deatheater against the lies of an Unspeakable. I will prove you are the lying filth all Aurors are."

Orion was about to ask her how when she suddenly bolted for the door. Moving faster than he had thought she was capable, he tried to grab for her arm, but missed as she evaded his grasp and disappeared out the door. He was nearly out the door himself when something stopped him. A sudden thought that just barely managed to grab his attention before he took off after her.

Turning back to the table, Orion felt his blood freeze. Lying still on the top of the table was Katlin's pendent.

She had left it behind.

An act that all too clearly told him what she meant to prove to him. That it was Johnathan's spell and not the pendent that protected her from the wards.

Orion charged down the hallway after her. But Katlin was smaller and lighter than he was and had considerable distance on him already. There was no point in trying to use his wand to stop her. She could easily evade any attempt he made that way. The best hope he had was to out run her.

By some map she had managed to put together out of the areas she had already seen or by sheer luck, Katlin managed to find the front doors. She bolted through them and took off across the front lawn of the school.

Orion chased after her with every ounce of energy he had. He had to stop her from reaching the wards. If she came in contact with them they would kill her. He yelled constantly from behind her, begging her to stop and listen to him.

But ahead of him Katlin ran on with purpose, determined nothing was going to stop her. She ran right for the gates, one thought in her mind. To reach the entrance before the Auror caught her.

She would prove him wrong.

She would prove he lied.

She would prove it to herself.

Katlin sprinted for the gates. But still several hundred feet from them, something suddenly grabbed her from behind.

"Katlin!" she heard the Auror's voice cry out in panic.

The force of the pull threw her completely off balance and Katlin felt herself fall forward. She felt the Auror trip slightly and then stumbled slightly past her.

As she hit the ground, the air around her exploded into a burst of light. Katlin put her head down and covered it with her hands. But a sudden scream of pain caused her to quickly look up again.

Directly in front of her a wall of light had become visible.

The ward.

Just past its line, the Auror was held within it, struggling furiously against an unseen force, and clearly losing.

A second scream erupted from behind the barrier as the man's body spasmed again with pain.

"Orion!" Katlin didn't know where the alarm within her suddenly came from. All she knew for certain was that the Auror was in horrible pain, and if she didn't find a way to free him, the ward would likely kill him.

Katlin reached towards him. But when her hand came within just inches of the ward, a feeling like an electrical charge began at her fingertips. The closer she got to it, the stronger the feeling became and the further it crept up her arm until it was al she could do to keep herself pressing her hand ever closer to the wall.

"No!" Orion cried out.

Katlin looked up to see him facing her as he fought his own pain.

"Don't," he cried out. "It'll kill you."

Panic gripped her. It was going to kill him as well. She had to get him out!

Katlin steeled herself up, then thrust her hand forward. One second. That was all she needed to grab him and pull him free.

One second.

But the instant she touched the ward, a numbing sensation shot up her arm.

"Stop!" Orion screamed at her as she yanked her hand back, cradling it against her.

Katlin turned to him, tears in her eyes. She had to free him.! She had to try!

The necklace!

Orion had said the necklace protected her. But where had she left it?

Katlin turned back to the castle as a feeling of utter dismay settled on her.

The room. She had left it on the table in the room. And could she even find the room again? She wasn't sure of the path she took out of the castle. She didn't memorize any part of it, certain she would never be going back. She only headed in the direction she last remembered the doors being.

Katlin turned once more back to Orion. The body barely moved at all now, despite the continued attacks of the wards on it.

She had to do something.

Katlin took off towards the castle. Maybe she would run into someone. The old wizard hopefully. Surely he could break the wards. If not she would try to find someone else. Or try to find the room. She had to keep trying. Because if she didn't, she was sure he would die.

Katlin ran on, pressing as hard as she could to get back to the castle. Never had something seemed so far away to her in her life.

But abruptly she stopped, nearly tripping over her feet as something in the grass caught her eye.

A tiny flicker of light.

Katlin reached for it, and nearly cried out with joy as her fingers found the familiar shape of her pendent.

Katlin didn't waste time putting it on but wrapped the tiny pendent and chain tightly in her hand as she rushed back to the ward.

The light had all but died down, and was just a soft glow when she got back to the ward. But it still held the man fast in its grip. Katlin didn't hesitate as she reached forward toward the all but invisible wall. But this time she felt nothing at all as her hand broached the barrier. She grabbed Orion by the arm and yanked him towards her with all her remaining strength.

But the moment she made contact with Orion, the ward around his body seemed to completely vanish, and he fell practically on top of her.

Katlin quickly pulled to her knees and rolled Orion on his back.

"Orion!" she cried. "Orion!"

A pain gripped her heart when she got no response. She couldn't even tell if he was breathing or not as she frantically searched for a pulse.

She had to get him back to the castle. Get him to the infirmary there. But her right arm was still so numb she could hardly move it at all. And she felt as weak as if she'd been up for days without sleep. She doubted seriously that she could carry Orion all the way back to the castle by herself. And she didn't have her wand.

Just as she was considering her options, a brisk, cold wind unexpectedly blew up. It seemed to begin, not in the air around them, but to come up from the ground itself. Katlin quickly gathered Orion up into her arms, holding him tightly against her as she watched the wind form a tight circle, pulling dust and dirt into it as it picked up velocity. But as abruptly as it started, the wind ceased. And in the aftermath of the concentrated cyclone now stood a tower of dark robes, the material being softly animated by a gentle breeze.

Katlin pulled Orion closer to her as she stared up into the fathomless darkness of the hood over the creatures head.

'A Dementor!' she thought. What in heavens name was one of the Azkaban guards doing there? And why was there only one?

"Go away!" Katlin yelled at the creature.

The mass of black robes pulled back slightly, but then moved closer to her, causing Katlin to pull back slightly.

But a sudden thought came to her. One that she hoped would prove their escape from the creature. She still had her necklace. And the ward was just behind her. She kept pulling back away from the creature as quickly as she could. She was sure she would soon hit the ward and if what Orion had told her was true, the creature should not be able to come through the barrier after them.

But for every foot she scooted back over the ground, the creature moved a foot forward. After six or seven feet, Katlin was sure they had to be behind the barrier of the wards. But the creature had not stopped, and it continued to stay no less than a foot way from them.

Something was very wrong.

A soft sob escaped Katlin as she scooted back once more. The ward was her only hope of keeping the creature away from them both. And it had failed her some how. Now she had no idea how to defend them against any attack the creature might make. To her it was like watching a large wolf playing with its prey. Sniffing for any defenses and then finally pouncing when it sensed its prey was helpless.

A robe covered hand reached slowly forward.

Well, Katlin was going to show the creature she wasn't as defenseless as it thought. With what strength she had, she lashed out at the hand, contacting with it with a solid hit.

The creature snatched its hand back with a soft yelp of surprise. But it did pull back, where it sat now apparently simply watching them with a good deal more caution.

Katlin knew she hadn't bought them much time. She had to think of something else.

"Just go away!" she shouted at the creature. "We haven't done anything! Why are you even here! Leave us alone!"

She doubted the creature understood one word of what she yelled at it. But she hoped maybe someone at the castle would hear her and come investigate.

The creature reached forward again.

Katlin slapped at its hand again, screaming as loudly as she could past her tears. "No!"

But suddenly, to her amazement, the creature made a series of gestures in the air between them. It then turned its hand over and again reached out to her again.

Katlin stared at the gesture with wide eyes. Slowly she followed the arm up to the hooded face, which was again staring at her past its open blackness.

"What are you?" she whispered. "You're no Dementor."

The creature quickly shook its head, and again reached out to the figure in her arms.

"Katlin?"

Katlin's head snapped up at the sound. Coming from the castle were three figures, one of them leading far ahead of the others.

Katlin pulled Orion back to her. "Help!" Was the only thing she could think to yell. 

The figures picked up speed at her cry. As they approached the tower of black robes it promptly backed away and stood back as the foremost figure approached.

Dumbledore.

Katlin never thought she could be so happy to see the old wizard.

Dumbledore seemed to all but ignore the mass of black robes as he knelt down in front of her.

"How is he?" he ask as he gently brushed a bit of hair back from Orion's pale face.

"I don't know." Katlin all but cried. "He ran into the wards. I got him free, but then this........this creature came............."

Dumbledore turned to the tower of dark robes, who promptly waved a robe covered hand at the old wizard.

Dumbledore smiled pleasantly at the creature. "Ah yes. Orion's little friend."

Katlin looked up. "Friend?"

"Bo is a friend, Katlin. There is no need to be afraid of him. His only interest is to see to Orion's well being. That's probably why he is here. He sensed Orion was in danger." The old wizard stood back up and turned to the creature.

"Madam Pomfrey would like to see Orion, Bo." he stated. "Be so good as to take him to her, please."

The creature stepped back in front of Katlin and again reached out its arms. But this time Katlin slowly let go of the man in her arms, allowing the creature to gather its robes about him. As soon as she felt the weight taken off of her, Orion and the creature instantly disappeared.

Katlin looked up to see the old wizard extending a hand to her. "You look as though you could use a bit of looking after as well."

Katlin paused, then nodded as she allowed herself to be helped to her feet by Dumbledore and one of the others who had just arrived.

She got all of ten feet before she collapsed.

****

Q&A

Silverfox:

Actually, Snape didn't hear Katlin until he stuck his head into the room. So where as, yes, in her 'enthusiasm' Katlin was talking a good deal louder than she should have been, it was not loud enough to be heard out in the corridor.

Thankyouthankyouthankyou for pointing that out. Yes! Here is a man who charmed people into following him, folks. He did not get that popular by putting a wand to their heads and saying 'Follow me or else'. He did it by charisma and charm, thank you so very much. (Have a gold star, Dear(), even if they don't show up for some reason.)

Fanfiction may very well want a shiny gold star of its own, but it hasn't done anything to earn one yet.

Yes, Bo is in need of a caretaker usually even on his good days. Orion being responsible enough? There's a coin toss. And maybe it was a bad lesson, but it was good exercise for him. And actually, that scene was one of the few scenes you will ever see that will truly show Bo for what he is. He's not a person, or even a thing. He is a non-corporeal, magical power. It is one of the reasons he would be so darned hard to capture. Anyone trying to do so would be much better off trying to manipulate him through someone else. Which is one of the reasons the Black family keeps their mouths shut so tightly about Bo. If you can't capture the entity itself, what's the next best thing? Get the host.

Talon didn't get his son to part with his first wand the first go round. But Talon isn't too worried about his son. He is, after all, the host, and is still in fairly good health. He also is betting that the boggart will outlive both of his son's.

I understand about misjudging poor Talon, Dear. And you weren't off by far, to be fair. But you haven't met the man yet, although you have come very close several times. But at the last minute he got written out.

Keep in mind that Talon was an Auror back before the Department of Mysteries evolved. There were no Unspeakables in his time with the Ministry (in PAR's universe). But in his time with the Aurors, Talon was just as much a loose cannon as his son (Again, where do you think Orion got it from?). And for many of the same reasons. He was the host to an extremely powerful entity that would do anything within its ability to keep him alive. In essence, the man was indestructible. But Talon knew better than to flaunt that ability or to utilize it. But still, he knew it was there, and that tended to have him taking a few risks he might not have had Bo not been backing him up.

Talon didn't distance himself from his eldest son over worrying over Orion's 'condition'. And I suppose my wording was a bit harsh for the actual situation. Keep in mind that the family had only produced hosts, not channelers. And there had never been two family members tapping into the power at the same time. Talon simply didn't know what he could do, if anything, to help his son. And he felt very much like he had failed to protect him from what he felt was the greatest danger to Orion's life at the time.

Withdraw from his family? Who would have noticed? Talon was never 'Father's Day' card material to begin with. He was dedicated to his family, no doubt. But sort of like a mountain bear is, ya' know? He just never was the warm, cuddly, bouncing you on his knee kinda father. (And keep in mind, you are looking at Harry's potential grandfather here.) Talon would do very well as the leader of a military academy, if that helps put things in perspective.

Did he spend more time with Sirius? Not so that one would notice. But he certainly kept a closer eye on him.

I don't think Bo would be in as far over his head as you think. Keep in mind, Bo, despite how powerful he is, is still bound by the parameters of the spell that called him into being. And that spell clearly states that the first link is between the 'Power' and it's host.

Would Talon ever yield the 'Power' against his son? Depends on the circumstances, don't ya' think?

And again, Talon doesn't 'dislike' the 'Power'. He just doesn't trust it. He doesn't believe that what the 'Power' did to his son was as innocent as Bo presents it to be. But Talon would work with Bo if he had to. And he does talk to him and listen to him. But under no circumstances does he trust him.

Skahducky:

Congratulations on the finals, Dear.

Well, I actually sort of titled this chapter based on your comment. Was that the climax? Sort of. We haven't resolved everything, as you know.

Yes, Dumbledore put the original memory charm on Katlin (remember, there are two). And yes, he can therefore remove it if he wants to. But he isn't removing it and he didn't make a mistake. The Memory Charm is failing because of Bo's spell placed on Katlin to make the Memory Charm fail over a period of time. Was he ask to do that? Yes.....more or less. It's one of those reasons the people involved (one was Katlin, the other Orion) needed to be more careful and should have paid closer attention to what Bo is asking them.

Deatheaters do not have free passes in and out of Hogwarts, Dear. Only one of them. Katlin. And that is because Dumbledore allows it. And 'trusting Katlin for the time being' is exactly what he is doing.

This actually takes place about a year and a half before Voldemort's downfall. Or, at least, that's where we started.

When is Voldemort going to become such a big problem? You're closer than you think, Dear.

All reviews are as of 07042004.

And remember;

Bless God, America.


	57. Chapter FortySeven: The Touch Of Your Lo...

A/N: (Sigh) Birthdays come and birthdays go. And I have watched another one slide by. And no, I still will not tell you how old I am. Phhhhhhhft!

But it was a nice birthday. Lots of cake.

Other than that, not much to say, except,

as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: As I sit here and ponder over the course my little story will be taking, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the facts that this story is mine, however, any characters or setting related to Harry Potter are the express property of JK 'Where are you people getting these tiles from' Rowling and her 'We don't care, as long as no one spills the beans before publication day' publishers.

****

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN: THE TOUCH OF YOUR LOVE

Orion did a careful search of his body from head to toe. But for the life of him, he couldn't find one place that didn't hurt. He could feel a gentle caress against the skin of his hand. But, though feeling like someone brushing smoldering coals over his skin, he forced himself into silence against the pain when he turned to face his tormentor.

Sitting next to his bed, her face a mask of concern and fear, was Katlin.

And hanging around her neck, happily winking at him in the dim light of the infirmary, was the tiny diamond pendent.

Noticing his open eyes, Katlin quickly favored him with a smile as she gripped his hand a little harder.

"You're awake!"

Orion bit his teeth together at the increase in the pain in his hand.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I ran smack into a protection ward."

"Oh good!" Katlin smiled nervously at him. "Then that would be the right feeling."

A black cloth waved itself suddenly in front of his eyes. Glancing up to the head of his bed Orion found himself staring into the face of his boggart.

Bo gave him a happy wave as Orion smiled slightly.

"Yes, yes. I see you." Orion informed him.

Bo gave another enthusiastic wave.

"He was the one who brought you to the infirmary." Katlin explained. "I couldn't even get myself here let alone bring you. He appeared at just the right time."

"He's very good at that."

The cloth waved itself in front of his eyes again.

"What is it?" Orion ask, glancing up again.

The boggart made several gestures, then leaned over the headboard, looking down at his charge.

"I'm fine, Bo." Orion told him. "Now off you go. You have things you should be doing."

The boggart continued to stare down at him for a few more seconds, then promptly disappeared.

Just then Madam Pomfrey came around the curtain.

"Ah! Mr. Black. We're awake?" she asked.

"Sleeping with my eyes open?" Orion replied in a rasped whisper.

"How are we feeling?" Madam Pomfrey questioned, ignoring the comment.

"Not very good." Katlin spoke up quickly.

Madam Pomfrey turned a hard stare to her.

"I meant....he said he's in pain. Can't you give him something for that?"

"Due to the nature of the spell, unfortunately, no. We'll just have to wait for it to wear off, I'm afraid. But," She added, checking the readings on the parchment over his bed, "if you want a nice happy thought to hold onto to keep you company, Mr. Black, you can thank heaven above you're even alive. You're a very lucky man."

Orion gave her a small nod. "How long have I been here?" he ask in a voice that was growing more tired with each word.

"Three days."

"Three days? How long is it going to hurt like this?"

"Just give it some time. Unfortunately, " she added, glancing down at Katlin, "any pressure to the skin is bound to cause pain for a while. I would suggest you try to cut down on any unnecessary contact."

As the nurse left, Katlin slowly tried to draw her hand back under Madam Pomfrey's warning glance. But Orion held fast to her hand.

"Orion...."

"I do not consider that an 'unnecessary contact'." He replied quietly.

"But it hurts you."

Orion gave her a tentative smile. "Not half as much as letting go. And actually, my arm doesn't hurt at all. And....," he added, gingerly moving his fingers, "my hand is starting to feel better as well."

Katlin gave him a skeptical look.

"Katlin, you're a natural healer." Orion reminded her. "Just sitting there holding my hand in yours you've probably done twice as much good as all the potions Madam Pomfrey has shoved down my throat."

Katlin gave up and left her hand where it was, now carefully wrapped in his.

"Madam Pomfrey says you're fortunate just to be alive." Katlin said softly. "She said the ward.....was set up to kill."

Orion sighed quietly. "Well, I would know." he replied. "I set it up."

"And I didn't know it was there." Katlin said, staring at her hand as it lay comfortably in his.

"I'm sorry." Orion replied. "I neglected to send out the invitations."

"You said.....the wards were set up to stop Deatheaters."

"Well, more specifically, they were set up to attack dark magic."

Katlin gave him a inquisitive look. "Then why did they attack you?" she ask quietly.

Orion paused, then turn his gaze to the ceiling. "Because they were set up to attack dark magic." he repeated stoicly.

"But........but you don't use dark magic, Orion."

"It doesn't matter if you use it or not. The wards only differentiate in one area between those who use it and those who simply have it in them by accident."

Katlin turned her violet eyes back to him. "It would have killed me."

"And that would have killed me."

"It would have been my own fault."

Orion shook his head slowly. "I upset you......because I couldn't just tell you the truth. Even sitting there, I was still hiding from it. Hiding it from you. Beating around the proverbial bush. Talking about anything but what I should have." He lay back with a soft sigh. "I should have just told you the truth from the start. The whole truth."

"I didn't give you much of a chance."

Orion turned to the hand he was gently holding in his own.

"You gave me plenty of chances, Katlin. Chances to be honest with you. To trust you. To trust your love. To trust in us." He turned his gaze back to the ceiling. "I just never took any of them."

"We are who we are, Orion." She replied. "Aurors and Deatheaters. Between us, 'trust' is not a word we are very familiar with."

"Sometimes that is what keeps you alive. That's one of the things you first told me."

Katlin stared up at him. "And sometimes," she replied, "it is what gets you killed."

Orion gave her a forced smile as he gently squeezed her hand. "Well, not today, hey?"

Katlin stared at their hands for a moment.

"Heck of a way to have spent your wedding night." She said softly.

Orion gave a soft laugh. "So my life is interesting."

A silence fell between them as Katlin stared at the floor. How could things have gotten so complicated so fast? In less than twenty-four hours her life had gone from her knowing exactly what each step would be, to finding herself suddenly on a completely unfamiliar path. And nothing was getting any easier.

"How are you feeling?" Orion broke into her thoughts.

Katlin looked up suddenly. "Me?"

"You touched the ward as well."

"I....I tried to pull you free of it." Katlin turned to the floor again. "But I couldn't."

"Are you all right?"

Katlin smiled at the floor. "I think my arm is still numb."

She felt him carefully squeeze her hand a little tighter.

"Can you feel that?"

"A little." She replied, looking up at him.

Orion smiled at her. "Then I'll just have to squeeze it a little tighter."

Katlin quickly turned back to the floor. But Orion tugged lightly on her hand.

"You should let the nurse have a look at you as well." He said gently. "Even a small exposure to the ward isn't something to pass off. And you should probably get some rest as well."

Katlin turned back to him. "I'm not the one in the infirmary bed, Orion." She replied. But she quickly turned back to the floor. "I'm not the one who risk their life."

"Katlin," he stated, pulling gently at her hand, "it was an accident. No lasting harm."

But Katlin refused to meet his eyes.

"You were willing to do that for me." She said so quietly Orion could barely hear her. "To risk your very life for me."

Orion sighed quietly.

Katlin finally turned her eyes to him. "I spoke with the Headmaster earlier." She told him in a soft, quiet voice. "And I asked him to remove the memory charm."

Orion was stunned at her words.

"Are you sure?"

Katlin nodded slightly. "I told him I wanted it done when you were well. I told him I wanted you there."

"Katlin, are you sure?"

She gave him a small laugh. "I've never been so unsure of anything in my life."

"Then why are you going to do this, Love?"

"Because I want to remember, Orion." she said with a small smile. "I want to remember you. I want to remember the man who loves me so much he would let himself die in my place. Who ask nothing of me. Who has spoken of nothing but his love for me." she gave him a small smile. "I want to remember the man I was going to marry."

"Katlin, that's not all there was to it. Not all the memories are good."

A small, unsure, nervous laugh answered him. "Well, I would hope not. Otherwise I would have to be the masochist of the century."

Orion shook his head slightly. "No. You weren't. You were a woman who fought back against something someone carelessly told you the only way you knew how."

"By running from it? That hardly sounds like me."

"Sometimes running is the smartest thing to do, Katlin."

Orion watched her struggle with her own thoughts. Fighting so hard for any scrape of memory she could find. He hated the indecision there. But mostly he hated seeing the fear.

Orion gave a small tug on her hand.

"Katlin, I need you to listen to me for a moment. I need to get some sleep, all right?"

Katlin immediately started to get to her feet.

"Oh, of course. How stupid of m........"

But Orion stopped her by tightening his grip on her hand as he bit back the pain. "No. Listen to me, Katlin."

Katlin slowly sat back down, giving him a worried stare.

"I have to get some sleep. And...and you deserve to know the truth, Katlin. All of it. But........but before Dumbledore removes the Memory Charm, there are some things you have to know. Things I have to tell you. And you must have questions, Love. About so many things. So, when I wake up....if you want to hear it, you tell Dumbledore, and I'll spend the whole of the day answering any question you put to me, all right? I'll tell you everything, without exclusion."

Katlin stared back at him with wide eyes.

"But...if you think about this....and you decide....you don't want to hear it.....then just leave. Go back to Voldemort. Go back to your home. Back to the lair. Go back to your life and live it and forget all of this. I will swear to you now I will never try to see you again. I'll leave you in peace. I'll leave England if I have to to keep that promise. But....I want you to be happy, my Love. And I'll accept whatever decision you make that will give you that. All right? Stay or leave. I won't think any more or less of you for whatever decision you make."

Katlin sat for a few moments just staring at him. But finally she gave him a small nod.

"I will think about it, Orion. I promise." She answered, gently brushing her hand over his forehead. "But go to sleep now. You need rest."

Orion settled back on the bed, letting his body sink into the soft comfort of the mattress and trying to forget the pain. He didn't remember how soon after that he fell asleep to her soothing caresses.

The next morning Orion awoke to a bright light in his eyes. With a soft moan and a whispered curse he turned his head to avoid the light, feeling the first rays of the sun accompanying the light in his eyes. But as he turned his head he nearly bumped into something laying on his pillow. Readjusting himself for a better look, he found himself staring at a mass of thick, dark hair.

"Does your mother know you use language like that?" Katlin's voice softly asked.

Orion gave a short snort. "My mother taught me 'language like that'."

Katlin sighed as she pulled herself up and leaned back in her chair.

"Somehow I find it very hard to believe that Arianna Black uses language like that."

"You'd be amazed then."

Katlin sighed and brushed her hair back with her fingers.

"Well, that was definitely something I missed for far too long."

"'That'?"

Orion gave her a small smile. "Waking up to you beside me."

Katlin yawned as she made some minute sound acknowledging the comment.

"So, did we have a nice sleep?" Orion asked her.

"Not really."

"I'm sorry. Was I taking up too much of the pillow?"

"Actually," Katlin replied, settling her gaze on him, "I spent the night thinking."

Orion gave her a pleased smile. "Well, I glad you decided on staying. But I didn't mean you had to stay here all night."

"Oh, it didn't take me all night to decide that." Katlin waved him off. "I had decided on your offer as soon as you made it."

Orion looked surprised. "Really?"

Katlin nodded. "What I spent the night thinking about was what to asked you."

Orion looked a little nervously at her.

"You're not backing out?" she asked.

Orion shook his head. "Never. You deserve your answers, Katlin. And I'm done running from this as well. Ask whatever you want. I swore I'd tell you the truth and I will."

"I only have one question." She said solemnly.

Orion flinched slightly. "Those are always the hardest." he stated.

Katlin gave him a very serious stare.

"I'll get most of my questions answered when the old wizard undoes the memory charm." she stated. "But once that is done, I will still be left with one question that even that can not answer."

"Which is?"

"Why? Why did you do this, Orion? If you loved me so much, why did you let me go so easily?"

Orion paused for a very long time. He fixed his gaze on the sheets laying over him, unable to meet her eyes.

"Easy?" he gave a small laugh. "I have been an Auror for years, Katlin. An Unspeakable since nearly the day the Department was formed. But nothing.........nothing I have ever done, or been asked to do, was as hard as letting you go." he slowly turned to her. "I did it because I love you. Because.....what I did put you in so much pain. It was destroying you. And I couldn't let it continue. And the only way to make it stop was.....to let that memory be taken away from you....and everything connected with it."

"Including you." She added softly.

Orion only nodded in response.

"But what about you? What about your pain?"

"I didn't care." Orion stated quickly. "I deserved whatever pain came with it. And it would still never have matched yours. And if that was all that was asked of me to see you smile again.......to see you happy, I would gladly pay that price."

Katlin paused, staring at him for sometime. "What...........?" she started, faltered, and tried again. "What did you tell me that...............was so horrible I would trade in the life I had with you, a happy life it seems, just to forget it?"

Orion closed his eyes. He felt it would eventually come down to this one question. Everything centered on it. How could it not?

But suddenly he opened his eyes, focusing not on the woman next to him, but on the ceiling above him. He had made a mistake. One that had cost him nearly everything.

This wasn't simply the pain of having to face that mistake again.

It was the chance to correct it. And it wasn't one he was going to let pass him by again.

"What I told you, Katlin," he started carefully, "I told you without thought, without care, and worst of all, without checking it out."

"Checking it out?"

"An informant brought me something......., something I had gone looking for. He brought it to me, he laid it on the table............., and I simply grabbed for it. It was what I wanted. It gave me what I wanted." Orion turned slowly to her. "So I never questioned it. My Love, that was my mistake. When everything is said and done, that was where this whole thing started. What that man gave me I wanted so badly.............I just took it. I didn't care how it would effect you.......or us. Not really. I just wanted it. I wanted what he told me to be real, and so I made it real. By simply ignoring the possibility.......this man may have lied."

Katlin sat staring back at him with not the confused expression Orion had expected, but a thoughtful, searching one. Behind her eyes Orion wondered if she was suddenly recalling that memory. Just as she had the fight in the field where they had first met. Nothing solid. Just bits a pieces of the whole.

"What was it you told me?" she ask finally in a slow, carefully measured voice.

Orion took a slow breath. He would rather be facing the dark lord himself right now than his number one Elite. Anything other than having to face once again the look on her face when he told her.

"You told me once," he began, "that when you were young, your parents were killed. That the people of the village where you lived had murdered them and tried to kill you as well."

Katlin sat stiffly in her chair. "That would be true." she replied.

"Yes. But you said that you believed that these people, who had loved and sheltered your family from others, had been manipulated to turn on you and your parents by a..........some sort of traveling preacher who had come to your village."

"That is also true." Katlin replied stoicly, though her voice hardened slightly.

"You said you had no idea who that traveling preacher was, but you certainly left no question of your hatred for him."

Katlin's lip curled slightly at that thought. "That is also true."

Orion took a long, slow breath. "Katlin, I wanted to try and help you...........," but he abruptly stopped. "No." he said after a short pause. "That was the lie I told myself. That I was trying to help you."

Katlin gave him a curious stare. "Help me what?"

Orion gave a slight wave with his hand. "Get closure. Get revenge. Whatever I needed to hear myself to go on with my plan."

"Plan?"

"To find out who that preacher was."

Katlin suddenly came to life from her calm exterior. Her whole demeanor changed in an instant as she was on her feet, leaning over the man on the bed. "Are you telling me........that you found out who that miserable, lying, filthy piece of meat was?"

Orion eased her back. "Katlin, listen to me. Don't jump to conclusions, Love. That was what got us where we are. Just......listen to all I have to say."

Katlin slowly sat back in her chair. But none of her anger had diminished that he could tell. It positively radiated from her.

"Then tell me." she replied pointedly.

"My informant," Orion went on carefully, "told me that from what he had uncovered, all the signs seemed to show that that man, the one who came to your village and turned the people against your family...............was Voldemort."

Orion wasn't sure what sort of reaction he expected. So he simply waited. He clearly saw the anger building in her eyes as she stared back at him. But she said nothing. And yet with every passing second the anger grew more palatable until he could practically feel it in the air between them.

"That," Katlin finally stated in a low, level tone, "is a lie."

Orion did his very best to keep his own tone quiet and unchallenging. "Yes," he agreed amiably, "it could very well be a lie, Katlin. And I have never been so sorry for anything in my life as that I told that story to you without any proof to back it up other than the word of an informant."

"That is a lie."

Orion studied her face for a moment. He didn't think she was responding to what he had just told her. In fact, her expression had not changed once and he seriously doubted that she had even heard him at all.

"Katlin, listen to me."

"That is a lie." she repeated again, this time getting slowly to her feet. "It is a horrible, disgusting, vile lie."

"Katlin........."

For the first time Katlin's expression altered. But now it became one of utter contempt.

"What was this informant?" she ask him. "Some long time acquaintance you have used before? Someone you trusted? That you believed him without question?"

Orion shook his head. "I had never met the man before, Katlin."

Katlin's eyes narrowed. "And yet you believed him?"

"Katlin........"

"How could you?" she stated in a low voice. "How could you have told me something like that and expected me to believe such a lie?"

"Katlin, please listen to me." But Orion doubted again that she was hearing him at all. Slowly he watched her expression shift once more. Slowly she turned her head to the side. Wherever her thoughts were going, from her now troubled expression, Orion was sure it wasn't anywhere good.

"Katlin?" he prompted her gently.

Katlin opened her mouth to speak, but just as quickly closed it again. Little by little her gaze drifted back to him.

"Why?" she ask.

Orion thought she meant 'why' had he told her the story, and began to answer her. "I thought what the....."

But Katlin abruptly cut him off. Again he doubted she had heard him say anything at all.

"Why should I have believed that?" she asked. "But I must have." Understanding suddenly crossed her face. "That was the reason, wasn't it?" she stated resolutely. "That was the reason for the Memory Charm. Because I believed you. I must have."

"Katlin, please......"

"Why!?" she cut him off again. "Why did I believe you? What aren't you telling me this time?"

"Katlin, there was nothing more."

"You are lying! Tell me all of it!"

"Katlin, that was it. I just never questioned any of it the first time. And that was how I presented it to you."

"You think I can't find out?" Katlin nearly spat at him. "If you won't tell me, I know who will." she stated, never giving him a chance to answer as she started for the door. "I will go to Voldemort. And I will ask him for the truth."

"Katlin! Wait!" Orion called. But she completely ignored him. Orion quickly looked about the room. "Bo! Bo, where are you?"

The mass of black robes appeared almost instantly at his bedside.

Orion quickly pointed to Katlin's retreating back. "Stop her, Bo."

Katlin didn't bother looking back to see where the creature was, but quickened her pace as she reached for the door handle and yanked the door open. Nearly running straight into the mass of black material.

Katlin pulled back with a slight cry of surprise, but quickly pulled out her wand.

"Get out of my way!" she stated fiercely. "Or I'll get you out of it my own way!"

The tall, thin figure didn't move.

"Fine." Katlin stated.

Whatever the boggart might have expected the woman to do, it certainly wasn't what he got.

Instead of attacking the creature, Katlin turned about and pointed her wand at the man in the bed.

But before she did anything, the tower of black robes instantly appeared in front of her, blocking her path again.

However, this time the action was exactly what Katlin was anticipating. As soon as the black robed figure appeared in front of her, Katlin turned and took off out of the room, running out the door as fast as she could go.

"You fell for that?!" A half-angry, half-amused voice shouted from behind him.

Bo turned about abruptly to face the man in the bed.

"Are you completely scrambled or so today!?" Orion stated. "No one would have fallen for that!"

The boggart began to make several gestures, but Orion stopped him.

"She was not going to hurt me." he stated firmly. "She wanted you to do just what you did. Get out of her way. Now just go and find her and bring her back. She's probably headed for the front doors of the castle. Go wait for her there. And keep a check on the other entrances just in case. But you do not let her get out of this castle!"

The boggart nodded, then turned and hurried out the door.

Out in the corridor, Katlin watched the figure in the dark robes from a small alcove. Once it was gone, she carefully tip-toed out of her hiding place and quietly took off in the opposite direction.

****

Q&A

Silverfox:

Indeed, the life of Orion's poor boggart is not always an easy one.

Grab the host. Grab the 'Power'. Quite frankly, either way you're you-know-what. Based sole on the fact that you never do know exactly how Bo is going to react. He is, after all, not looking at the situation the way you might be. To him, it may all seem just a game, in which case you might live. If he perceives that you are, in fact, trying to hurt someone he is charged with protecting................oh well. Life's funny that way.

Thank you for the complement, Dear. I try to keep my characters interesting. They are, after all, what drives my story.

Talon is, indeed, a most interesting man. Dependable and loyal, but not someone you want to be on the bad side of. Whether or not he would eat his children depends on how they behaved.

Heads of military academies tend to have a very stunted sense of humor and see the world very black and white. That pretty much sums up Talon Black. Although from time to time he can throw a few surprises.

Another interesting character you will be running into soon is Talon Black's partner from his days as an Auror, Hershal Beckett. Hershal is probably the second most interesting character I have come up with after Bo in the 'not-a-main-character' arena. Hershal Beckett shows up for the first time in Family Relations.

OK, I agree, in a fight, Orion would be more likely to call on Bo for help. But that in no way guarantees Orion's order would come first. Again, Orion is the Channeler and friend, but Talon is the host. And Bo is bound by the parameters of the spell, which state he will answer to his host.

But Orion is still his friend, and a Channeler. Which means whatever power Bo has, Orion has access to it.

Still a coin toss here.

sweets:

Hello again, sweets. Kinda wondered where you went.

Your dad? That sweet guy who I met at the convention? Awwwwwwwww! You give him my love and tell him I'm keeping him in my prayers.

Ok. Katlin is under a Memory Charm? Yes.

She does not know who Orion really is? More or less, yes.

Is she trying to get her to remember the 'real' him? Which one, Dear? I mean, he's been mucking about so much.

But yes, Orion is trying to get Katlin to remember him from the day they first met. The wonderfully cute and cuddly man who knows how to use handcuffs for the purpose of which they were intended........in his opinion. (After all, it's all about love and respect and who gets to wear the handcuffs next.)

Will you hear from Talon in the future? Well, that all depends on whether or not Orion can get his Love to the alter. I mean, he has to introduce her to the folks first, right? That's not something you sort of want to leave to the wedding ceremony in this situation. Introducing your two Auror parents to your blushing Deatheater Elite bride. That's puts such a damper on the whole festive atmosphere.

BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone has been thinking ahead! (Or paying attention to all my hints.) Will this effect Harry, Orion, and Sirius' relationship in the future? You bet. The outcome of this story plays directly into much of what happens in Family Relations. I did not just put this up to kill time while I finished that story. A lot of what happens in Family Relations will be able to be related directly back to what happened in Enemies. Have a gold star, Dear. (Giving them out the only way I can since Fanfiction's submission form will not upload Asterisks anymore.) Enjoy.

Keep them questions coming. I love them!

nessie:

Ummmmmmmmm........, I'm sorry if I made that seem important, Dear. It wasn't. The other people with Dumbledore were redundant. Dumbledore was the only one who was important in that scene because he is the only other person outside of the Black family that Bo will listen to. I mean, Bo would have listened to Katlin, but she currently doesn't remember him and was trying to slap the whatsy out of him every chance she got.

A large portion of what is going on here was brought about by the simple fact of people not listening. And poor Katlin isn't the only one in that club. She has lots of company.

And yes, deep down, Katlin does still love Orion. Problem is she doesn't remember that.

Skahducky:

'You're closer than you think', Dear, means just that. Voldemort is very close to becoming a big problem. Everyone seems to think that Voldemort built up to being a problem. No one considered maybe that wasn't how it happened at all. But that's all I'm saying.

Dumbledore does not foresee what is coming. No one does. Likely, not even Voldemort. Wait! I tell a lie. One person has a small idea of what may happen. But then, he's the one whose going to cause it. (And 'no', it is not the wizard in the north. He's interested, but currently just watching things unfold.)

Why did Dumbledore let Katlin into the castle without questions two months ago? Did we cover this, Dear? She was distressed. Even Dumbledore could see here was a woman who wasn't going to be much in the line of causing trouble. She wanted answers. Not more problems.

Would Dumbledore try to get Katlin to go to Azkaban? No. Katlin, to Dumbledore. is a friend, not an enemy. And he has his reasons for wanting her to remain free. And if you're wondering what they are, you have no further to look than the man she is standing next to.

(Hand goes up in the back.)

-Nuts.- "Yes?"

"Did that last sentence really explain anything?"

"I suppose not. Let me try again."

Orion, given all he is, is not what we will call the most 'stable person in the world'. Mostly, he has a temper, as you have seen. And he has a tendency to grab that temper and go running with it without stopping to think about the consequences. Hence, Voldemort's needing to find a new home.

Now, standing in the opposite corner we have Katlin, who is quiet (believe it or not), conservative (believe it or not), and very level-headed (believe it or not.) Katlin does not run into things blindly on a half-mad charge. She thinks things out, plots, plans, considers, then takes action.

All in all, Katlin balances out Orion's reckless nature. She makes him stop and think about things when he would rather just go and get things done.

Dumbledore can see the benefit of this relationship like no one else.

So, basically, Katlin is good for Orion.

Whether or not Katlin remains a loyal Deatheater has not been established, Dear. Some people are still holding their cards.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I love this one!!!!!!!!!!!!! Such a wonderful question!

'Why exactly would Bo make the memory charm so that it fails over time?'

For the simplest reason of all, Dear. Because he was asked to.

Here is another one of those, 'people should REALLY pay more attention to what Bo is asking them before they agree.

This all started if you go back to It's All Really A Bit Confusing, one of my most appropriately named chapters and the one I attached many warns to about reading it carefully.

Bo listened to everything Katlin said, formulated his own idea about the situation, asked some questions, and made a decision. (All on his own. Wasn't he just clever!)

Problem was, he didn't quite get the gist of the conversation completely right. Bo understood that Katlin was leaving, she didn't want to, but she had too, and if she could she would want to come back. Well, Bo simply made it possible for her to come back.

The second memory charm I thought was pretty easy to explain. But only if you caught the originating problem with the first one. And 'yes', it had a lot to do with that little gesture Bo made that Orion almost completely disregarded. Very simply, Bo asked Orion 'Do you want the Memory Charm made like the first?' In other words, do you want it done so that it will fail over time?

Orion, paying as much attention as he does sometimes to Bo, said 'yes'. So Bo did just what he was told.

One can only hope Orion, at the very least, learns to pay more attention to Bo.

All reviews are as of 07102004.

And remember;

Got carbs?


	58. Chapter FortyEight: THe Touch Of Your Lo...

A/N: Yeah, yeah, I'm late. Tell me about it.

The fact of the matter is, folks, I've been busy. I've had family in, work is a bear currently, and I have very little time in between for me. Top that off with not getting nearly enough sleep over the past two weeks and you have the makings for a late posting.

Also, I would like to tout to you guys the evils of sleep deprivation. One word of advice, Don't.

When your mother tells you it is a bad thing not to get a good nights sleep, listen to her. She ain't lying.

As a current subject of the aforementioned, I can tell you no drug developed by man can screw with you quiet like a few nights of poor sleep. It will disrupt your life physically, mentally, and every other way you can think of. And surely don't do it if you're already sick. Talk about stressing your body out.

However, if you're just looking for a cheap thrill, go right ahead. Stay up for a few days. Then try counting to ten.

Also, yes, we are getting close to the end. The next story up I hope you will all give a try. It is a cute little, low stress jaunt called Runaway, featuring Harry and Katlin. The story is for those of you who might wonder how a fifteen year old teenage boy might react to a strikingly beautiful woman, despite the fact she is a Deatheater.

Then again, looking at how a twenty-six year man responded to her. Duh!

Anyway, as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: What!? Still!? Really people! With the sole exception no one recognizes 98% of the characters, no one believes this is mine.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT: THE TOUCH OF YOUR LOVE - PART TWO

Katlin went on for some time, turning down one unfamiliar path after another, hoping to find something that would tell her where she was. She had heard Orion tell the creature to guard the front doors, and to keep a watch on the other entrances as well. How was she suppose to be able to get out with that creature keeping watch?

Eventually Katlin found another small alcove and collapsed to the floor in the shadows, her knees drawn up tightly in front of her.

How could she possibly get out? And what was she going to do when she did? Should she go to Voldemort as she told Orion she would, and confront him with what the Auror had told her?

But it couldn't be the truth. She would know such a thing. She knew Voldemort better than anyone. He simply would not have done such a thing.

But she had believed Orion's story before. Why? What was different then? What part of it wasn't there now?

Katlin felt a tear roll down her cheek and she angrily wiped away the betrayal of her feelings. But another just as quickly replaced it. And when she wiped that one away, still another. Soon she didn't even try to stop them anymore as she sat on the floor in the dark little alcove, trying her best to sort out what she should do.

"Hello?"

Katlin nearly jumped out of her skin as she gasp in surprise at the greeting. She looked up to see a shadow of blue robes standing in the opening to the alcove, accenting the long white beard that fell in front of them.

The old wizard.

"Well, now," he stated, peering in the alcove, "what are you doing here, child? I thought you would be with Mr. Black."

Katlin quickly silenced her sobs and turned to the floor as she discreetly tried to wipe a hand over one tear stained cheek.

"I was." was the only thing she could think to say. And she certainly didn't feel any the better for having said it. If anything, she felt stupid for trying to say anything at all.

Slowly the old wizard maneuvered himself into the alcove. "Do you mind?" he ask, indicating the space next to her on the floor. "My poor feet feel like I have walked over every inch of this castle."

Katlin continued to stare at the wall opposite her, saying nothing.

"I'll leave if you would rather."

Katlin slowly turned to him, then turned back to the wall. She slowly shook her head.

The truth was, she liked the old wizard. He was quirky, to be sure. But he made sense most of the time. And she could use a little of that right now.

"I am most grateful." Dumbledore replied as he eased himself down to the floor next to her. "I believe the next available space is some ways down the corridor yet."

Katlin said nothing as she continued to stare at the wall, discreetly wiping the other track of tears off her cheek.

"Well, it is a small alcove, but I do believe I am correct in saying I do not see Mr. Black here."

Katlin shook her head, which seemed to serve to allow new track of tears to find their way down her cheek. She quickly wiped them away as well.

"Katlin?"

Katlin turned to the old wizard.

"What happened?"

Katlin stared at the old man for a very long time. But he never pressed for a answer. She supposed that was in part what she liked about him. She believed he would have sat there all night waiting for her to answer, and never once asking that question again.

Finally she turned back to the wall. "He told me." she said in a soft whisper of a voice that sounded very much unlike her own. Instead it sounded very frightened and unsure of itself.

"I see." was all the old wizard said. And again he fell into silence next to her.

"Is it true?" she ask in the same soft voice, now staring at her hands as she pulled tentatively at them, then rested them back over her knees. She wasn't even sure she wanted an answer.

The old wizard gave a small laugh. "How very strange." he answered her puzzled look. "That is much the same question you asked me when you first came to see me."

"You told me that before." Katlin replied. "You said that I came to you before for help."

"Yes."

"And this is what I came to ask your help with? To know if Black's story was true or not?"

"Well, that was how it started." Dumbledore told her. "But by the time you came to me, I think you had already convinced yourself it was."

"How do you know that?"

"Because almost as soon as you told me your story, you told me what you wanted was simply to forget everything Mr. Black had told you. In short, you ask me to perform a Memory Charm on you."

Katlin's tear-filled eyes widened in surprise. "I asked for that!?" she questioned.

Dumbledore gave her a quizzical look. "I thought you and Mr. Black had discussed all this."

"He didn't tell me I was the one who ask for the Memory Charm." Katlin settled back down and hugged her knees again. After a few moments she turned back to the old wizard. "Did you ever answer my question.....back when I first came to you? Was the story true?"

"I told you what I knew, Katlin, and I told you truthfully, I simply didn't know. I doubt that anyone does really."

"Voldemort would know." she replied.

"Then perhaps you should ask him."

Katlin sat for a few minutes, saying nothing. "That's where I was headed." she whispered finally.

The old man gave a small laugh. "Well, I doubt that you will find him in this alcove."

Katlin echoed his laugh briefly. "Orion sent his pet after me, to stop me from leaving the castle." she replied, trying to hide a slight sniff from her tears.

"Bo?" Dumbledore asked.

Katlin nodded.

"Oh, you needn't be afraid of Bo." Dumbledore told her. "He is mostly harmless."

"It's the 'mostly' part I find you have to worry about with things like that."

The old wizard sat in thought for a few moments. "Why did Orion send Bo to stop you? Didn't he want you to leave?"

Katlin paused for a moment. Now there was a good question. Why had Orion tried to stop her?

"I don't know why." she answered truthfully.

"Well, he must have had a reason."

"I suppose he wasn't done talking." Katlin speculated.

"But one assumes you were done listening?"

Katlin nodded before she thought. "I just..................," she tried to correct the mistake, but simply couldn't think of anything to say.

"I suppose it was an awful lot to take in." Dumbledore offered. "But surely Mr. Black explained things to you this time?"

"He tried."

"Well," Dumbledore suggested with a smile, "perhaps that was it then."

Katlin turned to him.

"Perhaps he wasn't done trying."

"I had heard all of his explanations I cared to."

"To the point it has left you sitting in an alcove of the castle all alone?" Dumbledore ask. "I can't say I would be very satisfied with that explanation."

Katlin said nothing. Sometimes the old wizard made too much sense.

"Katlin," he added gently, "Orion only wants to talk to you. And I think it would do you well to hear him out. Get your answers while you can. You may not have a second chance. You almost didn't have one this time."

Katlin turned back to him.

"What if Orion had been killed by the wards? No one could answer your questions then. You would never know why he did the things he did, for he is the only person who can tell you that part at least. And I think you should listen to him. At least get the answers to that part of this. Find out why he did what he did."

Katlin studied the old man for a moment. "Do you know?" she ask finally.

Dumbledore chuckled slightly. "Oh child, I may be an old man, but I am afraid that the reasons love does what it does elude me to this day."

"Love?"

Dumbledore frowned slightly at her. "Yes, child. Love. Make no mistake about that part of all this. Orion loves you very much. He has offered everything he has to see that you were happy. And now he stands willingly offering it all up again for the very same reason."

Katlin turned back to the darkness. "I know what he is willing to offer." she stated quietly. "He's already proven that. And I'm not angry with him. Not really. It's just........it's simply all so confusing."

"Then give him a chance to explain it all to you, Katlin." the old man suggested. "That is all he is asking for. He only wants for you to understand. And after that, he has given his word you can do what you please. Hasn't he told you that?"

Katlin paused, then nodded slowly.

"Then is what he is asking for really so much? Just to try and help you understand."

Katlin sat in silence for a few moments, then slowly pulled herself to her feet. "All right." she replied. "I will hear him out. You are right. He deserves that much after all he has done for me. But I won't promise anything once I have heard his reason."

"No one is asking you to, child." Dumbledore answered, struggling with the wall as he tried to get up again, but finally gave up. "It is very difficult for an old man, you understand." he stated.

Katlin sighed quietly, then offered him her hand. "And I do not believe you are nearly as helpless as you pretend to be, old wizard." she replied, helping him up.

****

(Scene change.)

As Katlin approached the infirmary with the old wizard, the first thing that greeted her was Orion's voice.

"What do you mean you couldn't find her?! I'm not asking you to hunt up my whole graduating class. This is just one person we're talking about here, Bo. One, single person. Who is likely as lost as you seem to be."

"Miss Griss isn't nearly as lost as you think, Mr. Black." Dumbledore informed the man in the bed as he stepped back into the infirmary with Katlin following slowly behind him.

Katlin surprised herself with the small smile that came to her lips at the sight of the look on Orion's face when he caught sight of her. It was as though nothing in the world could have delighted him more than seeing her again.

"Now there! You see!" Orion informed the tower of dark robes standing next to his bed. "An old man could find her when you couldn't. Some great, omniscient power you are. An old man out did you."

Bo paused, then slowly glided over to where Dumbledore stood with Katlin. He seemed to study the old wizard for a moment, then, holding up his cloth covered hand, produced a small pillar of fire in the palm of his hand.

Dumbledore studied the fire with some interest. "Very interesting." he commented with a genuine sounding enthusiasm. "May I?" he asked, then lifted the small fire into his own hand. Instantly it shot up, reaching nearly to the ceiling, struck the roof in a burst of light and showered small lights down about the room.

The cloth in front of the boggart's face rustled slightly as the boggart huffed at the display.

"Just a small variation on a theme." Dumbledore informed the boggart with a slight smile.

For his part, Orion's gaze had never left the figure standing slightly behind Dumbledore, who surveyed him with a cautious stare.

"I'm very glad you came back." he said finally with a genuinely pleased smile.

"The old wizard thought I should." she replied quietly.

"Ah." Dumbledore spoke up suddenly. "And I believe it is long past the old wizard's bedtime. If you children will excuse me."

Only the boggart watched the old man leave. Katlin had slowly worked her way back over to the chair she had occupied earlier and seated herself back in it.

"The old man said I should listen to all you had to say before I made any decisions." Katlin stated in an almost formal manner.

"Katlin, I am truly sorry what I said upset you." Orion began. "But you have to listen to me and understand that I have no more of an idea than you do if it is true or not. This man would not be the first informant who lied to me. He won't be the last."

"You said you never even tried to verify what he told you though. And you said it was because......you didn't want to."

Orion paused, then nodded.

"You wanted Voldemort to be that man. The one who killed my parents. Who destroyed my life."

Orion paused for a moment again, then nodded once more.

"Why?" Katlin ask in a nearly broken-hearted tone. "Why attack someone I loved? Why try to hurt him?"

Orion didn't move. Instead he simply stared at the covers before him.

"You said you would answer my questions." Katlin reminded him.

"I never imagined you'd ask such hard ones."

"But you did promise to answer them. And that is one I want answered. Why did you want that man to be Voldemort so badly?"

Orion sat in silence for a very long time. Katlin was about to ask him again when he suddenly started to speak. And each word was one he clearly was struggling to get out.

"Because I was trying to get you to see......." Orion paused as he breathed a quiet sigh. "You gave him blind devotion, Katlin. You never questioned anything. He asked it, you did it. Plain and simple. I wanted.......I wanted to stop that."

Katlin's voice softened slightly. "It wasn't blind devotion, Orion. I loved him. He was like a father to me."

Orion didn't answer her. He only sat with his gaze once again fixed on the sheets before him.

Katlin sat studying him for a moment when a sudden thought coming to her.

"You were jealous!" She stated in a soft whisper. "You were jealous of him!"

Orion didn't answer her.

"You promised to answer my questions." She reminded him.

"You said you only had one."

Katlin stared back at him, a silent anger starting to grow. "I won't take semantics from you, Orion."

Orion sat for a few more seconds, feeling her anger growing with each passing second.

"Yes." He said finally. "I was jealous of him."

"Because I loved him?"

"Because you loved him that much. And he didn't deserve that from you."

"Why?"

"Because he didn't. He doesn't deserve that much love from anyone."

"Because you say so? A fine judge and jury you make for him. You don't even know the man."

"I know him well enough. I know what he is. I know what he has the potential to become."

"He is a fine man." Katlin countered. "A good man. One who has loved and trusted and sheltered me for years."

"And maybe he has sheltered you too much." Orion replied. But he slowly turned to her. "Or maybe that was what I believed, and maybe that was what I was trying to show you. That he wasn't all you believed him to be."

"And what is he that I don't see? You wanted to show me that. Here is your chance. Tell me what he is that I don't see so clearly as you."

Orion sighed as he stared back at the ceiling. "I don't know anymore Katlin. Don't you see? That was my mistake. I tell you I know the man. Maybe I don't. Maybe I don't know that man at all that could inspire such devotion in you."

"I told you I wanted the old wizard to remove the Memory Charms. And I still do. But before he does, I want you to tell me is there is anything else I should know before he does. Any other little 'surprises' I should be aware of?"

Orion's expression abruptly took on a very worried look, then switched just as quickly to a very sheepish one. "Well, there is one other thing. But it's not going to help my hole get any less deep."

Katlin frowned. "Meaning?"

"Well, before Dumbledore removes the first Memory Charm, we probably have to..............sort of remove the second one first."

Katlin's frown deepened considerably. "Second?" she ask slowly. "Why a second one? What in Magic's name...........what was this, Orion? Memory Charms were just your panacea for everything that happened between us that one of us didn't like!? How many more are there?"

"Just two." Orion answered quickly.

"And the second one? What was it's purpose?"

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to accept that it was just for the best?" he asked sheepishly.

Katlin's frown darkened.

Orion took a deep breath. "Well, after the first Memory Charm, we just seemed to keep running into each other. And one of those times was in a battle. You were practically hit by a spell that would have singed you right down to your toes. And you.......from where I was, you just seemed....to freeze. I've never known you to do that in a fight before."

"Fire and I are not old friends." she replied dryly.

"Well, whatever the reason, I wasn't about to just leave you to it. I grabbed you and pulled you out of the way just as the spell came at you. You still caught a small part of it."

"But I survived."

"Obviously. But...........you couldn't see. At least not for a few hours."

"And?"

"Well, understandably, you were a bit....on edge."

"On edge?"

"You threatened to kill my stair case post if it didn't answer your questions."

"What?"

"Well apparently you were just looking for a target, and not being able to see very well, you mistook the post for me."

"Orion, you stopped making sense three questions ago. What does any of this have to do with this second Memory Charm?"

"It's all sort of the reason for it, Love."

"Sort of?"

"Yes. You see, you were hurt, you could just barely make out shapes, I couldn't very well leave you in the middle of a battle, now could I?"

"And so you............?"

".......Sort of brought you.....home."

"Home?"

"Well, to my house, at least. It was the safest place while I tried to find out just how injured you were."

"Uh-huh."

"And......well, once you settled down....a good bit, mind you.......we sort of....got along...better. A lot better."

The dark look never left her face. "I shagged an Auror?"

"Ummm....., keeping in mind you've done that several times, Love, it's not that far out of the realm of possibilities. However, this time......no."

"No?"

"No. You see, that time, you believed you were with a........well, a thirty-five year old medi-wizard named Sier."

Katlin sat for a very long time just staring at the man before her. "You lied to me to get me to sleep with you!?"

"Now you see, when you say it that way, you make it sound like a bad thing."

"Orion! How could you?"

"Pretty easily actually. You were supplying all the answers."

"Meaning?"

"Well, you were the one who decided I was a medi-wizard. And you didn't seem to care much that I worked for the Ministry."

"As a medi-wizard! Not a bloody Auror!"

"Well, you didn't seem to mind when you suggested we get married after knowing me less time than most couples have between the first date and the second."

"Marry?"

"We were getting married. Remember? Five days ago."

"I suggested that?"

"Well, you sort of beat around the bush on it. But there was very little mistaking what you were getting at."

Katlin's expression took on a searching look as she stared back at him. "Why would I have done that?"

"Wild guess?" Orion offered. "You were in love?"

Katlin shook her head. "I don't want to get married, Orion. To anyone. Great Magic! I'm doing all I can to keep Johnathan at bay as it is."

"Johnathan? Treaks?"

Katlin sighed quietly. "Johnathan has been pushing for our marriage for the past three weeks." She turned back to face the man before her. "We're suppose to be married at the end of the month."

"Well, you hardly need to worry about that anymore."

"Really?"

"Treaks isn't going to live to the end of the month."

"You stay away from Johnathan, Orion."

"Why?"

"Because he is my problem. And I handle my own affairs."

"Katlin, that man has blatantly tried to kill you three times that I can prove. Five if you give me a little leeway."

"And I will deal with him, Orion. Now, Johnathan Treaks is not going to be a problem any more once I am done with him."

"Don't face him empty handed, Katlin."

"I'm not."

"What are you planning to do?"

"Take care of my problem."

"Tell me what you plan to do."

Katlin gave him a hard stare, but said nothing.

Even under a Memory Charm, habits remained. And this one Orion knew too well to argue with. He wouldn't get anything more out of her than she was willing to give.

"I just want to know you are safe." he told her.

"I will be. Johnathan would never try anything in the lair. Not in front of others."

"Well, you'll have to allow me my measure of comfort then." he replied. "Bo."

Almost instantly the boggart appeared beside his bed.

"Bo, I want you to take Katlin to the Deatheaters lair. All right?"

The hooded head nodded.

"And I want you to wait there for her. If she calls you, you bring her straight back here. You understand?"

The hooded head stared at the man on the bed, then slowly turned to the woman standing on the other side. Without looking back at Orion, Bo made a series of gestures in the air, to which Orion frowned.

"She's not afraid of you." he stated.

Bo made several more gestures.

"Oh! Wrong way round. I See." Orion sighed and turned back to Katlin. "Promise him you won't slap him any more."

"What?" Katlin asked in mild surprise.

"He says he's afraid you'll slap him again. And apparently he didn't much care for it. So he says he's not going anywhere with you until you promise not to slap him anymore."

Katlin thought for a moment as she studied the creature in front of her, then turn back to Orion.

"Sounds reasonable to me, love." he answered her questioning look.

"Well," Katlin started slowly, "all right. Tell him I won't slap him anymore.....if he doesn't give me cause."

"I'm not getting involved." Orion stated, pointing to the tower of dark robes. "And I only translate for him."

Katlin sighed, then turned to the boggart. "If you don't give me cause," she stated, trying to sound authoritative, "I won't slap you."

The mass of black robes stood silently for a few moments.

Katlin turned back to Orion. "Does he understand me?" she asked.

Orion waved her off as he watched Bo. "He's thinking it over." he explained. "We should have a decision in a moment."

The boggart stood for a moment more, then finally drew himself up and made a series of gestures in the air before him.

"Oh, well, I think that's fair." Orion answered.

"What's fair?" Katlin asked.

Orion turned back to her. "Bo agrees, but he says if you slap him, he can slap you back."

Katlin gritted her teeth. "He is most welcome to try."

****

(SCENE CHANGE)

Johnathan made his way down the corridor of the lair with determined strides. Several unfortunate Deatheaters crossed his path on his way to Katlin's quarters, and just as quickly got out of his way.

How had the woman made it back into the lair!? He had set up numerous alarms and wards, every trap he could think of to stop her. And yet she was back. And summoning him to her chambers no less, in a manner that offered no room for his refusal.

When he arrived he didn't even bother knocking but barged straight in.

"I was told you demanded to see me?" he stated in as irritated a voice as he could manage.

Katlin sat at her desk going over a pile of papers, not even bother to look up at his entrance. "Very good of you to come, Johnathan." she stated in a disinterested tone. "Do have a seat."

Johnathan paused before her desk. The fact that he hadn't even managed to raise her head at his entry left him more than a little nervous. The woman was up to something. Now he had to find out what it was. "I'll stand if you don't mind." he replied.

"As you please." And for the first time Katlin looked up at him. She lifted her head slowly, her cold stare settling on him like a wave of ice. "Because that is the last thing you will ever do in these rooms 'as you please'."

It was all Johnathan could do not to pull back slightly under that stare. But he somehow managed to hold his ground. "What are you talking about?" he ask in a tone that sounded a good deal less demanding than he wanted it to.

"I'm talking about the great favor I've done for you , Johnathan." Katlin answered him. "And how you will repay me."

"Favor?"

"I'm talking about my last mission, Johnathan. The one you brought me word of yourself."

Treaks studied the woman before him for a moment. The subject wasn't totally unexpected. That would work for him. But just how much she did know was what he needed to learn.

"Orion Black is still alive, Johnathan." Katlin went on simply. 

"You didn't kill him?"

"No. And as a favor to you I will simply tell Lord Voldemort that you were mistaken in your information. That the Auror and the traitor were not at the castle."

"That is a lie." Johnathan burst out. "My source was irrefutable. They were both at the castle."

"Yes, they were." Katlin responded calmly.

Johnathan paused, giving her a confused stare. What was the woman up to? "I don't understand. If they were at the castle, why didn't you kill them? Were you discovered?"

"No." Katlin answered in an almost conversational tone.

"Then why did you fail to complete the mission? Why is the Auror still alive?"

"Because Orion and I thought things worked more to our advantage if he stayed that way."

Johnathan felt his blood go cold. "You and 'Orion'?"

"Yes. Orion."

Johnathan wisely kept silent. He had to formulate a new plan, and he still held cards she knew nothing about. But he couldn't do anything until he knew just how much she was aware of.

"Oh yes, my love, I know of your plan. Demented as it was, it will serve me well."

"Serve you?"

"There will be no wedding, Johnathan. I will tell Voldemort that we have postponed it due to some issue and it will never be mentioned again." Katlin all but spat at him.

"You are insane." Johnathan countered. "Our wedding will take place at the end of the week!"

"It will never take place. And if you press this issue with me, Johnathan, I will go to Voldemort and I will tell him what instructions you brought to me about my mission."

Johnathan stared back at her. "What instructions? I only relayed the dark lord's wishes to you."

"To kill the traitor?"

"Those were his orders."

"And the Auror?"

Johnathan hesitated slightly in his answer this time. "Those were his orders, Katlin."

Katlin studied him for a moment past a hard stare. But she abruptly dropped it and simply shrugged slightly. "Fine." she stated, coming around the desk between them and walking past him. "Then you will not mind that I go and speak to him now."

"Be my guest.......if you can find him."

Katlin abruptly turned back to him. "What do you mean?"

"Voldemort isn't at the lair right now." Johnathan informed her with a pleased smile.

"You're lying. Voldemort hardly ever leaves the lair."

"He stated he had 'business' to attend to in London."

"What business?"

Treaks sighed in an overly exacerbated manner. "Unlike you, Katlin, I do not question Voldemort about his business."

"And you won't mind if I check his quarters just the same."

Katlin pulled the door open, but Treaks slammed it back shut again in front of her. "You are making a mistake, Katlin." he state in a low tone.

Katlin met his stare without so much as flinching. "I don't think so."

"Voldemort will never believe you. He thinks you're unhinged. It will be your word against mine."

"Then by all means, Johnathan, come along. Let's find out which of us he'll believe, shall we?"

Johnathan reached into his robes. "You think for one moment I will stand here and let you jeopardize all I have worked...................?"

But as he turned back to her, his hand already wrapped about his wand, he found himself staring down the business end of her's.

"And you think I wasn't ready for any stupid act you might try? You'll be dead before you speak, Mr. Treaks." she informed him in a cold, sober voice.

Johnathan slowly let go of his wand, but a small smile crept onto his lips. "Voldemort still will not believe you."

"Possibly." That smile still left her with a very uneasy feeling. But she managed to answer it with one of her own. "But I think he will believe a Ministry Unspeakable standing beside me, validating everything I tell him, don't you, Johnathan?"

For the first time since entering the room, Johnathan found himself unable to control his shock. "You're bluffing!" he stated. "Black would never do such a thing! It would destroy his career!"

Katlin crossed her arms in front of her "I assure you, he will." she replied. "He has already given me his word. He told me that was his love for me, Johnathan. Do you really want to test it?"

Johnathan paused as he studied the woman next to him. "You're lying. You would never tell Voldemort the whole truth. You have as much to lose then as I do."

Katlin pointed her wand tip right into his face. "All of it, Johnathan." she promised. "All." Katlin paused with a sneer. "Maybe I'll do you one last favor and just kill you now. It will be far easier than what Lord Voldemort will do to you when he hears what I have to tell him."

Johnathan held himself in check. "What is it you want?" he ask, sounding as casual about the matter as he could manage.

"My freedom from you. And that is exactly what this will give me. There will be no wedding. You will never mention such a thing again to anyone. If I hear one breath of your idiot plan again, I will go straight to Voldemort and tell him every thing. Do I make myself very clear, Mr. Treaks?"

Johnathan's eyes focused briefly on the wand tip pointed in his face. "Crystal."

"And don't think getting rid of me will do you any good, Johnathan." Katlin warned him. "Should anything happen to me, Orion is holding a letter from me that is charmed so Voldemort will have not doubt it is from me, written of my own free will, detailing everything that has happened these last few months. And he will hand deliver that letter to the dark lord on learning of my death."

Johnathan narrowed his eyes at her as she drew her wand back. The woman had dealt him a serious blow. But she hadn't won yet. Her absence from the lair had given him the time to instigate a few well laid plans of his own. Ones she knew nothing about...yet.

"Accept it, Johnathan." Katlin sneered at him. "You have lost. Your worthless ambition has brought you down finally."

Johnathan met her stare for a few more seconds, but then quickly grabbed the door handle and yanked it open. He was never so grateful to be out of her presence as he was at that moment. Slamming the door behind him he set off back down the corridor. This battle was lost, perhaps.

But the war was just beginning.

(POV change.)

Katlin all but collapsed back into her chair after Johnathan left. She hadn't been entirely sure she could pull the whole thing off. But she had managed it. Half-valid memory and all. She had put a lot of guess work into her challenges based on what Orion had told her. And in the end they had paid off for her. She was now free of the man.

That left her with just one man in her life to deal with now.

Orion.

Katlin laid her head back. Images flashed in front of her closed eyes. Whatever was happening to her, it was coming on more and more quickly. At first the strange thoughts and images came only when she slept. Now they seemed to be there every time she closed her eyes. But in the end, the message she got from them was always the same. Whenever she looked at the Auror, whenever he came into her mind or her thoughts unbidden, it was always the same feeling that came with him. One that, even though she couldn't place it, always got the same response from her. That she simply couldn't wait to get back to it. To him.

But what if that was just all some part of an elaborate trick by the man?  
But he had risk his life for her. Nearly died. And he ask nothing from her in return.

How could all of that be some planned illusion?

Katlin shook her head. She needed to be sure she could trust him. Prove it to herself by way of something he wasn't prepared for. Something she ultimately had control over.

Well, that was what she had laid out with Johnathan, and it had worked to perfection.

Now it was time to turn it on Orion.

Deep inside, she prayed he would respond exactly as she hoped he would.

Getting to her feet, Katlin walked to the center of the room. "Bo." she called.

****

(SCENE CHANGE-sort of)

"So, how did he take it?" Were the next words she heard.

Opening her eyes, Katlin found herself standing back in the infirmary almost next to Orion's bed.

Katlin paused, giving herself a moment to reorient herself as she turned a cress-fallen look to the floor.

"Katlin?" Orion ask again when she didn't answer.

"He didn't believe me." Katlin answered in barely a whisper of a voice. "He said.......it didn't matter what I told Voldemort. He would just say I was lying to save my own skin. And I would have no proof against him. And so.........I told him you were going to back up my story. That you would tell Voldemort the truth yourself." Katlin paused as she continued to stare at the floor. "I was so sure he would back down then, Orion. I was so very sure of it."

"And what did he say to that?"

Katlin gave a small nervous laugh. "He said.......I was a fool to think he would believe such a lie. That no Auror would risk that much.....for a Deatheater."

Katlin didn't see the small smile that came to Orion's lips. "Poor Johnathan." he state without hesitation. "He is in for such an unpleasant surprise."

Katlin's head snapped up. "What do you mean?"

Orion was already slowly pulling himself up in his bed. "I mean I'm going to prove you right."

Katlin rusted over to the bed in alarm as Orion struggled his way up to a sitting position and worked to get his legs over the edge of the bed. "Orion! What are you doing?!"

Orion grimaced slightly as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Working my way up to one really good telling off Madam Pomfrey." he answered, biting his teeth together as he pushed himself off the bed. It was all he could do not to collapse all the way to the floor, and likely only managed it by Katlin's quickly grabbing his arm. He managed to give her a reassuring smile as he straightened back up. "So," he asked her, "are you ready?"

Katlin stared back at him with a puzzled, concerned look. "For what?"

"To go back."

"To the lair?"  
"That's where you were, Love." he answered with a teasing smile. "Remember?"

Katlin's mouth hung open for a moment, but no words came out. "But............Orion," she stated finally, "it will end your career. Johnathan will tell the Ministry himself. He'll destroy you for this."

Orion held his hand out to her "Bugger him." he stated softly.

Katlin stared up at him in disbelief. "You would still do this? For me?"

His answer was a small smile. "Come on." he coaxed, still holding his hand out to her. "No putting it off."

Katlin simply stared at the offered hand, but not taking it. "But your too sick. You have no idea how Voldemort will react. If he'll believe you."

"Katlin," Orion reassured her, "I made it to my feet."

"You nearly collapsed."

"I'm still standing. Now come on. Time to go."

But Katlin physically pulled back from the offered hand, shaking her head with tears in her eyes as she continued to stare at it.

Leaning against the bed for support, Orion slowly walked back over to her and cupped his hand gently under her chin, turning her tear stained face to him. "Katlin, look at me."

Katlin slowly opened her eyes.

"It'll be all right, Love." he promised her. "You'll see."

Katlin paused for a moment, but the broke into tears as she shook her head again. "I'm sorry." she cried softly. "I am so sorry."

"Love," Orion promised her, "it'll be all right. You don't know Bale. He'll be upset for a few days. Won't speak to me. But we'll make up. You'll see."

But Katlin covered her face as she fought back her tears. "No. I didn't trust you."

"Trust me?"

Katlin stared up at him past her tears. "I'm sorry. Orion. But I just had to know. Everything.......everything up to now......it could all have been some ruse."

"Ruse? I ran into a security ward as a ruse?"

"Don't you see? I didn't know. And....and I didn't trust you. But.......how could I, Orion? I don't really even know you. And what I do know is trapped inside of a memory I don't even know if I can believe. All I get are bits and pieces at best. Half complete memories. I just......I just don't know."

Orion took her gently by the arms and turned her to him. "Love, starting very slowly, explain to me what you did."

Katlin took a deep breath, sniffing over her tears. "I....I had told Johnathan I knew about his plans.....about the ones you suspected. I just....made them real and threatened Johnathan with them."

"Threatened him?"

"I told him I would go to Voldemort with them. I would tell him all of them."

Orion gave her a very interested look. "And how did he react?"

"Just like I said. He didn't believe me. And so I told him that you were willing to back me up. And he believed that.

"But I thought about what he said. That no Auror would do such a thing for a Deatheater. He said it would be the end of your career, and you would never do it. And I thought........I would test you. You said you loved me. But I needed to know for myself. I needed to prove it to myself. By some way you couldn't have planned." Tears filled her eyes again. "I didn't think you would do it."

Orion gently brushed her tears back with his fingers. "Katlin, I understand how frightened you are. How unsure of everything." he told her. "But please believe this one thing. I will never lie to you. Never. Trust in me, and we will get through this."

Katlin slowly folded herself into his arms. "You said you never took any of the chances I gave you to trust me."

Orion nodded slightly. Moving still hurt a great deal.

"I don't need your trust, Orion." She said in the same quiet tone. "I only need your love. And I can't remember a man in my life who has proved he loved me more than you have."

Orion slowly pulled her back, and reaching into the neckline of her shirt, found the small silver chain around her neck. Pulling against it, he free the small pendent from under the neckline of her shirt. He carefully drew her back and gently placed a loving kiss on the pendent, then gently caressed it between his fingers.

"I will always love you." He whispered to her. "Like this diamond, it will never fade, or be destroyed, and you will always have it with you."

"I look forward to remembering our love." She replied. "And as for your trust, I'll earn that with time."

"You have nothing to earn from me." He told her with a touch of sternness in his voice. But it softened again just as quickly. "But I have a lifetime of forgiveness to earn from you. And if you will allow it, I will spend the rest of mine trying to do so. Anything....just for the touch of your love."

Katlin gave him a small smile, then slowly leaned into his kiss, returning it with her own.

****

Q&A

Silverfox:

Bo is actually very good at catch. Especially after scaring someone. I mean, nothin' like a movin' target, right?

If Bo perceives that you are directly trying to harm someone he is charged with protecting, indeed, you do not have much of a life to worry about anymore. Again, consider how careful Orion is (most of the time) in making sure that Bo understands who is a friend and who isn't.

But then, accidents happen, as poor Harry will find out in Family Relations.

Actually, Talon blamed the majority of that incident in the cellar on the boggart, not his son. All in all, Talon feels that Bo manipulated Orion. (And who says he didn't? I never have. All I have ever said of the matter is what Orion's opinion of it was, as well as Talon's.)

I agree, characters that function too much in blackand white are boring. But i am the last one to say that Talon is anywhere nearly as animated as his son's. But he is a very stoic sort of person. He doesn't have a great deal to say. But when he talks, you'd do well to listen.

Well, Orion and Katlin are technically the main characters. But they do have the danger from time to time of being overshadowed in this story by Orion's enigmatic boggart. And actually, Bo has become such a story favorite, I have begun work on a story that does indeed feature him as the main character. But that is a long way from its posting day.

Hershal is, as I said, an interesting character. For one, he is the one person I can think of off hand who Bo out-rightly doesn't like and who he views as a direct threat to Orion. However, he is also irrevocably tied to the man.

It is very unlikely, as far into the future as I can see, that Orion and his father would ever place Bo in the situation where the boggart would have to choose between his host and his friend.

Ok, ok. Lets hold on a minute! Orion never thinks that far ahead? Well, maybe. But he didn't get where he is by being dense as a brick either.

Katlin currently isn't getting the picture at all? She has a good excuse.

Bo doesn't have enough of an understanding of the world around him? I warned you once already not to under-estimate the boggart.

Talon hasn't even shown up? True.

Charly is spending most of his time being played by others? Don't you believe it. The little muggle is more on the ball than people think.

Treaks? Now there's a good suspicion. The man is indeed manipulating things with such skill you wouldn't believe it. But all of his plans are starting to come to light.

Blackberries? Not my favorite. I'm a raspberry person myself.

skahducky:

Good point. But I defend my character against the word 'rude'. I will settle for 'defensive'.

Ummmm....., you're about half-way there, Dear. Let me help you out a little. Dumbledore's Memory Charm didn't fail on its own. It failed because it was 'attacked' by Bo's spell. The second Memory charm failed because Orion wasn't paying attention and told Bo to make the second Memory Charm just like the first. So he did.

And yes, Bo's spell specifically was that the Memory Charms would fail over a certain time period.

Answering this as though you had not read this chapter, yes, Katlin would have to tell Voldemort she failed her mission. And if she started asking questions about her parents deaths that would raise some suspicions seeing as she hasn't bothered in the past fifteen some-odd years.

Yes, if she were to return to the lair alive, Treaks was well prepared to kill her. And had things not gone as they did, he would likely have succeeded.

Keeping in mind Bo isn't a person or a thing really, but simply an essence of magical energy with something that one could called a personality, he can indeed watch every entrance into the castle at once. Or exit, however you wish to see them.

If there's air blowing through a passageway or open ground underneath, Bo knew about it. Actually, come to think of it, Bo would likely have been loved by the Marauders.

If Katlin found one such passageway, she could indeed use it to get out. But lets face it, currently she can't even find the front doors. How likely is it she's going to stumble across a secret passage?

Uprising? I don't know that I like that word especially. I mean, everybody assumes Voldemort 'rose up'. Who's to say that's how it happened? What if one day he just sort of........went over the edge, so to speak? Suppose (just suppose), that up until now Voldemort has been a nasty thorn in every one's side, but not really a dominating, threatening, evil power. Just sort of someone who's 'there'. Until one day something happens that just pushes all the right buttons for him and he just really lets go? Now that would get people's attention.

Now suppose that Voldemort wasn't the one doing it all.

Think about it.

Is Treaks in over his head? As of right now, definitely not. And the ball is in his court. In fact, he hasn't even served it yet. He's just sort of bouncing it on the clay.

The validity of Orion's story is still up for grabs, though I think enough has been said for people to make a fairly accurate educated guess.

What do you mean, 'what if....then?' I think Treaks is already wrecking havoc.

And if Katlin were to leave the Deatheaters, what makes you think Treaks would just walk into her position? You think no one else would want it?

sweets:

Is Poppy taking everything out on Katlin right now? I don't know about everything, Sweets. I mean, the woman probably has issues somewhere, though I don't know if she blames Katlin for those. But the woman knows a Deatheater when she sees one, and she's none to happy its sitting in her hospital ward right now.

Is the boggart going to make an appearance in later stories? Well, one thing you can almost count on is that if Orion is in the story, Bo isn't far behind. Hence, Bo is in Family Relations. Is he in other stories? Well, as I stated in my answer to Silverfox, I have a story in the works where Bo is, in fact, the main character. Just a short little one shot I'll post up one day.

As I have said before, there is a great deal more to Bo than meets the eye. And it is a foolish person who underestimates him. He may technically, intellectually, be a three year old, folks, but like any good three year old, he's learning.

And yes, Dear, you made it. I was the one who was slow this time round.

nessie:

Heeheehee. I love that question. 'Is one of the reasons Sirius and Orion don't get along because he's dating a Deatheater?'

Uuuuuuuuuummmmmmmm..........., sort of. (Who's to say when Sirius learns about Katlin, Orion is 'dating' her. hmmmm?) (Ain't sayin' nothin' more.)

But still 'what', Dear? Of course she's going to get angry about it. And even more so now. She was told that story, Memory Charmed into forgetting it, and now she's being told the same story over again.

Well, in his defense, Bo is a bit gullible. Most three year olds are.

Katlin's heading in the opposite direction doesn't necessarily mean danger. Sometimes it's just opportunity in disguise.

****

FAMILY RELATIONS

Becky:

Wild guess, Dear.

What Arabella does isn't mental telepathy, if that's what you were referring to there. It's more hypnotism coupled with magic.

Arabella, like Orion, has good reason for doing what she's doing. But as to date, no one has hit on it. I should run a contest on that or so. Name the reason....win a prize.

Well, technically, that's exactly what she was doing. She needed Harry to sign the court papers, but she didn't want him to get to interested in them and start asking a bunch of questions.

Arabella wanting to keep Harry and Sirius separated but with her as much as possible smells fishy? Again, Dear, Arabella is doing what she's doing with good reason.

Why did Harry go so placidly? Pure shock. I mean, he was expecting to leave with his 'parents', not a stranger. And in addition to that, Sirius and Arabella did nothing to stop Orion from taking him. The poor kid was utterly confused.

I would love to have a secretary, Dear. But all of my friends say no one would work for me for more than a few days before quitting. Hardly worth moving to Florida for.

Yes indeed, Family Relations will be longer than Family Life. But that's sort of a good news/bad news thing. The good news is, yes, it's longer. The bad news is, that's sort of to counteract that Family Ties is shorter.

Oh! Already moving to Florida. Have to reconsider the secretary thing maybe.

Never get tired of hearing it, Dear. Trust me.

I have seen PoA-The Movie. I enjoyed it immensely, however, I was disappointed it was shorter than the others when they could have made it the same length by adding in a great many of the critical points they left out.

I had issues with the Shrieking Shack scene as well. But more to the point they shortened it so badly. And so much information was left out you could barely follow everything that was going on. And I have very big issues with their making Peter 'look' evil. Movie people seem to feel that in order to get their point across 'Here is an evil person', it's far easier to make the character look evil than show it by their actions. Nothing in the books ever indicated that Peter looked evil or ugly. And I am always opposed to anything that spoon feeds to children that you can always recognize an evil person or someone who means to harm you because they 'look evil'. That is not always the case.

(Par jumps off her soap box and puts it away.) OK. I'm done now.

Ha! You're darn right, kiddo! You never know what form help will take. And Orion (man, am I getting tired of saying this) is doing he's doing for a good reason.

Sirius' leg remains in its current state for the time being. Whether or not it is fixed remains to be seen.

All reviews are as of 07252004.

And remember,

Sleep deprivation is a bad thing!

Go to bed.


	59. Enemies: Chapter FortyNineWhat Do You Me...

A/N: Yes, yes. I'm back.

Sorry for the delay, folks. It's been a hard month.

First I got sick. That took a while to get over.

Then we had that little visit from Hurricane Charley.

You know, I have seen hurricanes. Seen tornados, the no-name storm in the early 1990's, high wind, pouring rain........folks, I have seen it all.

But I have never........never seen the likes of this. The storm itself went right through the heart of my home town. In fact, the eye went right down the main boulevard and right over our house. We lost trees, limbs by the hundreds, moss everywhere. When the storm was over we had an oak tree ripped up by its roots that missed my apartment by literally inches and took down another tree as it fell. You could not see the grass of the lawn in my parents yard because the debris taken down from the trees by the storm was so thick. My poor 16 year old cat, who we thought was safely locked in the utility room, rode the storm out outside. We have no idea where she was. But she came running up to me as soon as it was over, looking for comfort. Poor thing.

My brother had ten friends come over the next day and they worked with us through the weekend to clean up. By Monday night we had a pile in front of the house that is two houses long (about 100 yards), eight feet deep, and in places ten feet high.

We lost power for three days. Some still do not have power.

Yes, this storm was every bit as bad as Andrew.

But we survived, and no one was hurt, and that is what counts in my book.

I appreciate you all hanging in there and patiently waiting for me to post. I will try to get back on schedule, but it will take time before things are back to normal in my area.

So please bear with me,

and as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Well.....sort of mine....parts of it anyway. The rest, not.

****

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE: WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'CAN'T'?

Katlin sat stiffly in the chair in the Headmaster's office. Although she was looking at the papers on the desk before her, she wasn't really seeing them at all., She could hardly, in fact, even concentrate on anything being said to her as the anxiety of what she was facing continued to build within her with each passing minute.

A slight pressure on her shoulder brought her fully back to the present.

"Katlin, are you all right?"

Katlin turned to see Orion staring down at her in concern.

"What?" she asked.

"I asked if you were all right."

"I'm fine." Katlin replied, turning back to the desk and trying once again to focus on what was going on around her.

"Did you hear the Headmaster, Love?" Orion asked.

"Hear.......what?" Katlin's head snapped up to see Dumbledore smiling amiably at her.

"Katlin, are you sure you're up to this, child?" he asked her.

'Up to this'.

The words hung before her.

Was she really ready to have the Memory Charms removed? To see finally what lay behind the spells?

Katlin closed her eyes. Orion had promised she wouldn't go through any of it alone. That he would be there. That he would answer any questions she had. And so far he had kept to that promise.

But to learn it all? And so quickly. That she wasn't sure she was ready for that at all. Some of her memories were coming back already. But they came back in small pieces, and often didn't make a lot of sense to her sometimes. Often she wasn't even sure if the things she remembered were real, or just something her mind created out of the threads of her fragmented memory.

All in all, it was horribly confusing for her.

"Katlin?"

Katlin looked up at the Headmaster again.

"Are you ready?"

Katlin paused briefly, but then finally nodded with a small smile.

"Very well." Dumbledore said. "Now, because the last Memory Charm placed on you was put there by Orion's boggart, we will need him to remove that one first. So, if you would?" Dumbledore stated, turning to the man standing behind Katlin.

Orion paused for a moment, then called "Bo."

Almost instantly the tower of black robes appeared in the room.

Despite the fact Orion had assured her she had nothing to fear from the creature, Katlin still couldn't help but pull back slightly from the boggart.

"Bo," Orion said to him, "you placed a memory Charm on Katlin."

The boggart made a quick series of gestures in the air before him.

"Yes, the one I ask you to do." Orion agreed with what the boggart had said. "I want you to remove that spell now, Bo."

Katlin braced herself to have the first spell removed. But instead the boggart erupted into a series of gestures.

Orion watched the boggart as Bo went through his gestures, the frown appearing on his face deepening with each gesture.

Finally the boggart finished and stood silently in front of Orion, whose frown hadn't disappeared or lessened one bit.

"What do you mean 'you can't'!?" he stated sharply.

The boggart launched into another series of gestures.

Orion watched him carefully, then sighed quietly as he shook his head.

"Bo, I never asked for that." Orion replied. "I misunderstood what you were asking."

The boggart only stood silently before him.

"All right." Orion stated, realizing Bo wasn't going to give any further explanation unless prodded. "'Why' can't you remove it?"

The boggart answered with a few gestures.

Orion's face fell at the answer. "I never ask for that." he repeated quietly.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Black?" Dumbledore's voice broke the silence that settled in the room.

Orion slowly turned to the old wizard. But it was Katlin on who his gaze finally fell. "Bo says he placed the Memory Charm, but that it was a 'special spell', designed to do what I.......what Bo thought I ask. He thought I wanted a spell that would allow Katlin's memory to slowly come back over time."

"Come back over time?" Dumbledore ask. "Why would anyone want a Memory Charm that would fail over time?"

"So they could come back." a quiet voice answered.

Dumbledore turned to Katlin. "Miss Griss?"

Katlin looked up at the Headmaster. "I remember," she stated, "I went to meet with Bo...just before I came to see you."

"Meet with him why?" Orion ask.

Katlin turned to him. "I'm not sure." she replied. "I only remember meeting with him. And he ask me, if I could come back, would I want to? I told him 'perhaps'. Then he reached out and touched my forehead. The next thing I knew, I was outside the grounds of Orion's house. I didn't think anything more of the incident and went home. But that must have been when he placed the spell on me to make the Memory Charm fail."

Orion turned to the boggart. "Bo, is what Katlin said true?"

The boggart paused, then made a small gesture in the air before him.

Orion rested his fingers against the bridge of his nose. "All right, so what we have is a Memory Charm that can't be removed."

"At all!?" Katlin ask with a slight rise in her voice.

Orion sighed to himself. "Bo says if the Memory Charm is forcibly removed, that it could damage the person."

"Damage?" Katlin ask. "Damage how?"

Orion gave her a small, humorless smile. "Bo doesn't understand death as such." he explained. "He refers to it as 'damage'."

"Then what are we going to do?" Katlin replied. "If we can't remove either of the Memory Charms, what can we do?"

"Well, Bo says the Memory Charms will fail by themselves over time."

"How much time?"

Orion cringed slightly. "Well, that's a bit harder of a thing to nail down with Bo. He's not real good with the concept of time."

"Can't he estimate?"

"He just says 'over time', Love. He doesn't give any particulars. But you're already remembering things. So the Memory Charms must be starting to fail even now."

"Well then, "Dumbledore stated, "I suppose all we can really do then is wait."

"Wait!?" Katlin exclaimed. "But....what am I suppose to do in the meantime?"

Dumbledore gave her a comforting smile. "I would suggest 'learn'."

"Learn?"

"About your past. And I suspect Mr. Black will be a most willing and excellent teacher."

****

Q&A

Nessie:

Well, sorry for being late as well, Dear.

I am glad I fail to disappoint you. Thank you.

Is one of the reasons Sirius and Orion don't get along because he is dating (?) a Deatheater? Well, that is certainly contributing to the problem, yes. But you're circumstances aren't quite right. In other words, Sirius isn't upset because Orion is 'dating' a Deatheater.

Well, she's angry, yes, dear. But more than anything, Katlin is confused by all that's happening around her. she knows there are things she doesn't know, 'pieces of the puzzle', as it were, and the only people who can fill in those blanks are the very people she was taught most of her life to distrust and hate. Gotta cause some problems for her.

Tricking Bo is not the hardest thing in the world to do.

I simply could never get into Tom Felton, sorry.

A lot of people see peter as just another version of Neville. I never saw him as that for some reason. I always saw him as just the 'last in line' of the Marauders. I mean, everyone seems to keep forgetting Peter was a Marauder. He was James, Sirius, and Remus' friend. They trusted him enough to entrust their lives to him. People conveniently forget that.

And it is for that reason I hated how he was portrayed in the movie. They seemed to go out of their way to make him look evil and untrustworthy.

Indeed, they left a lot out by never explaining the Shrieking Shack and what it's real use was. And true, they never did explain how Lupin knew what the map was or how to use it.

Gary Oldman does little for me and always has.

If they don't shave that mustache by the Sixth movie I think I'll scream. I never saw anything in the book that ever indicated the man had a mustache. And Rowling was very good at describing her characters.

Yeah! What was with all those tattoos!?

I thought by the end of the ride, in the book, he was actually getting comfortable riding Buckbeak?

I'm still trying to figure out the horse and carriage snow scene in the second movie.

OK. Questions. Where is Voldemort and what is he doing? I'm proud of you, Nessie! No one else even seemed to look at that twice. And I tried to make it a point of the chapter. Unfortunately, as that that is a part of the story coming up, I can not tell you if you are right or wrong. But I will say this, if he is off doing what you suspect, consider the 'why'. It figures a great deal into the story as well.

Yes, we are close to the end. Then on to Runaway, then Family Relations.

Ah, Wisconsin. Where they still do things the old fashion way.

Silverfox:

Not as cute as you might think, Dear. Aside from Talon, Dumbledore probably has the next best idea to exactly who and what Bo is and what he is really capable of. For this reason, Dumbledore keeps a close eye on the boggart whenever he's around.

What does Dumbledore really think of Orion's boggart? See above. Dumbledore knows the potential of the creature, and he is weary of it. But he also knows that potential could go either way, being used for good or evil, all wrapped up in the mind of a child. So he treats the boggart much as Orion does. As a friend when possible, and with caution always.

Yes, Dear, there is, in fact, a 'Bo story' in the works. But don't look for that until next year sometime.

Hershal is indeed an interesting character. He is an immensely powerful wizard, and the one-time partner of Talon Black. However, Hershal's notoriety isn't due so much from who he is, as from what he's become, which was courtesy of Bo. Hence, the two are irrevocably tied to each other.

But yes, Bo immensely dislikes the man. One of the few people ever to claim that dubious honor.

And it is not for what Hershal has done that Bo dislikes him. It is for what the man is.

When it comes to thinking ahead, Charley is definitely the front running horse in the race between the two partners. But lets give Orion a break here. He's in love, and that can tend to make one a bit short-sighted.

I doubt you would mercilessly harass one of my characters with no reason, Silverfox. I'm just saying poor Katlin can't possibly have the big picture. She's missing too many of the pieces.

(PAR lays out a trail of blueberries leading to her review page.) Yeah, that should do it.

Skahducky:

Yes and no, Dear.

'Yes', there is more to what Treaks is planning than Katlin knows, and 'no', that has not been told to the reader yet.

It isn't that Katlin is or isn't aware of all that Treaks is up to. The main point in the last chapter was that she was guessing about most of it. The fact that she got lucky was based on 1) coincidence, and 2) the fact she based those guesses mostly on what Orion told her.

Is Katlin going to tell Voldemort everything? She has to find him first.

You think it would be that easy? Just remove the Memory Charms? That would be way to easy for Orion. Now, not only does he have to sit and wait, he has to explain things to her. And yes, the conversation, which comes next chapter, runs both sides of the street. It is both funny and sad in places.

Your question about Voldemort I can't answer directly due to that being part of the story.

****

FAMILY RELATIONS

James and Lily 4eva:

Please don't explode, Dear. It's so messy.

Family Relations should be up before the end of the year.

But no promises.

****

FAMILY LIFE

ZanyXany:

The story is being sequeled, Dear. Should be out before the end of the year, although you can't really hold me to that.

****

FEVER

TeenTitansGirl:

Well, you were in the minority, Dear. Not many people caught on to the cookies.

so far, Harry is still going by Harry Potter. Adding 'Black' to his name, as Sirius pointed out, was merely a formality and to afford him a certain amount of protection.

I am glad you enjoyed the story, Dear, no matter how cliche it might have seemed.

All reviews are as of 08222004.

And remember;

I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was going to blame you.


	60. Chapter FortyNine A: History Lessons

A/N: Do you know how many words use the letter 'o'. I'm finding out.

As I've mentioned in the past, my keyboard has issues. At first it only didn't want to capitalize anything. But now it seems to have issues with the letter 'o'. Doesn't want to put it in half the time. So I guess the time has come to break down and buy a new one. But why not the letter 'z'? I don't use z's that much.

My parents and I survived the hurricanes...., so far. Been a lot of fun. Spending weekends cleaning up my yard. Wondering when the power will come back on. Picking my dock off the beach. Fun, fun, fun.

(It is interesting to note I wrote this after Frances. Shortly there after, we were hit by Ivan and then Jeanne.)

As always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: People, seriously! I'm far to busy picking up yard debris to be plagiarizing anybody.

Also, please note I have yet to write a fifty chapter story.

****

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE A: HISTORY LESSONS

Katlin remained in her chair until after Dumbledore had left the room.

"Well," she said finally, looking up at Orion from under long lashes, "what do we do now?"

Orion extended his hand to her with an inviting smile. "We go for a walk."

"A walk?"

"Unless you'd rather hear all about your sorted past in a School Headmaster's office. I thought a walk about the lake would be better suited."

Katlin considered the offer, then finally reached out and took his hand, answering his smile with one of her own. "Much better suited." she agreed.

Katlin actually found herself grateful to feel the sun on her face as they stepped out of the front doors of the castle. The day was warm, but a light breeze made the temperature much more moderate than it really was. All in all, it gave a pleasant overall feel to the day. And for a few precious moments she could forget the present. Forget that for the first time in her life she wasn't even sure of who she was. Of where her life was headed, or what was suppose to happen next.

The feeling absolutely terrified her. Her life, what she remembered of it, was always well ordered. Controlled. Predictable to a certain degree.

But now, as soon as she felt she managed to get things into perspective, another memory invaded her thoughts and threw everything out of focus again.

A hand gently squeezed her's, drawing her out of her thoughts for a moment. She didn't look up at the man next to her, but answered his inquiry with a small smile nonetheless.

He was the one thing she did feel certain about. The one thing that all the others pointed back to. No matter what her thoughts, her feelings, her memories; of one thing she was sure. That through it all, she had loved the man next to her.

And that she loved him still.

She didn't remember all of their past together yet. Didn't know all they had been through or all he had done or how much he was a part of her current circumstances. But she told herself that in the end she was certain the answer would be that he had done it all because he loved her. The old wizard had certainly backed that up. And Orion had more than done what he could to prove it to her.

Katlin sighed quietly. Love was sometimes a terrible thing.

The hand gently squeezed her's again.

And sometimes it was wonderful.

She turned to him this time as she smiled.

"So what was so sorted about my past?" she ask as they headed towards the lake.

"Well, you're a Deatheater for starters." Orion offered helpfully.

Katlin frowned. "I know that." she stated.

Orion gave her a soft laugh. "Well, I guess the best place to start is, as they say, at the beginning."

"The beginning?"

"How we met."

"That should be interesting."

"Well, you remember part of it."

"I only remember a scene, Orion." Katlin pointed out. She sighed quietly as she stared absently ahead of her. "That's what everything is like. Small bits and pieces. Nothing to connect things together. As for our meeting, I only remember you grabbed me during a battle. By my hair."

"That's more than you remembered last time." Orion commented.

"But it could have been yesterday as far as I can tell." Katlin explained. "So, I think the best thing to do is to start as you suggested. At the beginning."

Orion sighed as he slowly took a seat under a large tree by the lake. Katlin seated herself next to him.

"We met during a battle between the Deatheaters and the Aurors." he began. "I never believed in the whole 'love at first sight' thing. Least of all when the person I was staring down at I was seconds away from killing."

"But you didn't kill me."

"And in my defense I would like to point out that I am also still alive. And yet for part of that meeting, I was staring down the business end of your wand, Love."

"So we just sat there.....no killing each other?"

Orion shrugged. "More or less. Chalk it up to mutual attraction."

"So what happened then?"

Orion gave another soft laugh. "I ended up getting reprimanded for letting a Deatheater escape. Got sent off to Austria on a currier assignment as punishment." Orion sank into a thoughtful stare for a moment. "I never did thank Bale for that assignment."

"You just said it was punishment."

Orion turned to her. "Oh, at first it was. I hated it. Sitting all day in a ski lodge fending off snowbunnies...."

"Ohhhh.....," Katlin cooed at him. "Poor man."

"...then freezing my arse off a good part of the night waiting for a currier to show up in the middle of the woods."

"Again, you enjoyed this?"

Orion gave her a wide smile. "Well, it improved immensely when you showed up in the same town."

"Me? What was I doing there?"

Orion looked wistful. "Filling my lonely nights with ecstasy for starters."

Katlin looked doubtful. "No. Seriously."

Orion nodded at her. "Very seriously, Love."

"That was a bit quick, wasn't it?"

"I told you, 'mutual attraction'. And the fact we were both bored out of our minds didn't hurt one bit either."

"Sounds more like a 'quicky weekend' to me."

"Darned expensive one for me then." Orion pointed out.

"Really?"

Orion carefully pulled her pendent out from under her shirt. "I bought you that necklace the first day I saw you standing outside the store admiring it."

Katlin quickly pulled the little pendent free and stuffed it protectively back under the neckline of her shirt.

"So where did we go from there?" she ask.

"Eventually each of us home." Orion answered, sensing for whatever reason she wanted to leave the current subject behind for the moment.

Katlin looked pensive for a moment. But she slowly turned her eyes back to him. "Did you ever meet your contact?" she ask.

Orion paused for a moment, fervently wishing he hadn't abandoned the previous topic so quickly. "No. I found him murdered in a field one night while I was waiting for him."

"I was there."

Orion nodded slowly.

"You thought I had done it. Or that I was involved somehow."

Orion sighed as he turned to the lake. She was remembering a good deal more than he thought she would. "I thought you were playing decoy." he replied with a touch of solemness in his voice. "But you more than proved that you weren't. To this day I still don't know who killed my contact in Austria."

"But you believed it wasn't me."

"Without a doubt."

"Why?"

"Because over and over you proved it to me."

"How?"

"We're getting to that."

"So, after Austria, we went back to our lives." Katlin prompted.

Orion nodded. "I honestly didn't know if I would see you again. All I knew was that I hoped with everything in me that I would. But you were......unhappy...with how we parted in Austria. At the time I wasn't sure if you had anything to do with the currier's murder or not. But when we returned to England, you sent the pendent back to me after the last thing I told you was to shove off."

Katlin took the news without the slightest show of emotion. "Well, I obviously forgave you." she replied with the slightest touch of curtness in her tone.

Orion considered the statement past a thoughtful stare. "I don't know that you ever forgave me." he replied finally. "We just more or less came to a mutual understanding."

"Mutual understanding?"

"We agreed that if we were going to keep seeing each other, there were going to be obvious problems we had to find a way around. The most detrimental to the relationship being that you were a Deatheater and I was an Auror. We had to come to some sort of agreement to keep us from spending our time together trying to prod information out of each other. So we came to the understanding that we never discussed what we did outside of our time together. 'Business', we called it. If one of us ever got too close to something, we simply stated that it was 'business', and the subject was dropped."

"Well, that was cozy."

"And it didn't always work."

"Why not?"

Orion sighed as he looked out over the lake again. "One night, after we had had what I thought was a very one-sided evening in bed, I ask you what was wrong. You told me a friend of yours had been killed."

"Kristen!" Katlin broke in suddenly.

Orion nodded. "That was her name. You told me she had been killed by Aurors."

"She wasn't killed by them." Katlin's whole demeanor changed to one of outright anger. "She was tortured to death by them."

Orion turned to her with a thoughtful look. "What do you remember about that?" he ask.

"That they paid." Katlin replied in a very satisfied tone.

"How?"

"I killed them. All three of them."

"Well, you remembered there was three of them. How did you kill them?"

Katlin started to answer, but stopped as she thought about the question. "I....I'm not sure." she answered finally. "I just know that I did." She slowly turned her eyes to him. "I did, didn't I?"

Orion nodded again. "You told me Aurors had killed Kristen. Over the next week I tracked down the men responsible. And when I found them I gave them to you to do what you wanted with."

"You did?!" Katlin ask in surprise. "Why!?"

"Because they were worthless." Orion answered. "Less than animals to the Aurors. But had they been turned over to the Department, the worst they would have gotten was a few months in Azkaban. Your friend deserved more than that from the men who had taken such a sick pleasure in killing her. And so I took the three of them and gave them to you. And you did indeed kill them."

"But they were your people." Katlin said in a soft, almost awed voice.

Orion shook his head. "I would never associate myself with someone capable of doing such a thing and taking pleasure in it."

"You kill Deatheaters." Katlin replied in a slightly harder tone.

"I do my job." Orion replied. "And I don't do it for sport. But if you want to start drawing lines, Love, tell me you never killed an Auror."

Katlin paused, then turned slowly to the ground. "This is that 'business' we never talked about?" She ask finally.

Orion nodded slowly. "And you see why? We can't. There's no answer to it. 'We are what we are', you used to say."

Katlin turned slowly to the ground, thoughtfully trying to take in all she was being told.

A slight pressure on her shoulder caused her to look back up.

"Are you all right?"

Katlin paused, then nodded with a small smile. "So what happened after that?"

Orion sighed quietly. "A lot." He replied after thinking for a moment. "But the most important thing, at least to us, was that every day we simply fell that much more in love with each other. And everything went very well for a while. We managed on some level to separate our work from our private lives together as well as keep it a secret from everyone else. And so the relationship between us continued to grow."

"But something happened."

Orion nodded.

"What you told me," she said softly. "About Voldemort. That was what destroyed us."

Katlin was sure that Orion would agree with her. But instead he turned to the ground, then slowly shook his head. "No. That only contributed, Katlin."  
"Then what? If we loved each other so much, what could have destroyed that love?"

Orion's face took on a very pained expression. "I did." he answered plainly.

"You?"

"I told you already. My....feelings for the man. My jealousy of him. Of your relationship with him. That was what destroyed us in the end. What had caused me...to do things I never thought myself capable of."

"So how did we get from there to here?"

"You decided to let Dumbledore place a Memory Charm on you. So that you would forget everything I had told you. But past even that, you allowed him to erase everything that had anything to do with me or our time together."

"So that was the first Memory Charm?"

Orion nodded.

"And the second?"

Orion took a deep breath. "Well, after the first Memory Charm, we just seemed to keep running into each other. First it was at a restaurant, then in a battle. I caught some major flack from my superior for that one."

"That one?"

"You were one of the Deatheaters crossing my path in a fight the other month, and I let you go. Orin Bale, head of............"

"I know who Orin Bale is, Orion."

"He found out." Orion finished. "So I had to come up with a good story about 'whyyyyyyyy'." Orion's voice suddenly trailed off into silence as he stared up at her. "Uh-oh."

Katlin gave him a very condescending smile. "What else?" she asked.

Orion sighed. "Look, I'll tell you what. Let's just have you kill me now, nice and quick like."

"And I'm beginning to get the idea the last thing I want you to have is a nice quick death. What did you tell Orin Bale was the reason you let me go?"

Orion paused as he tried to find the right words. "I told himmmmmmm...........that you were..........well,.....sort of my........informant."

"Really?" The word was drawn out long and low. "And why, pray tell, was I your informant? Or was I just handing out secrets for free?"

Orion decided it was best to get it over with quickly. "Sex."

He swore he had never seen anyone get so still in his life. He doubted the woman sitting next to him was even breathing any more.

"What?" The slowly drawn out word sounded as cold as a breath of artic air.

"Fair is fair." Orion added quickly. "And I wasn't the one to play that hand first. You already sold me out to Voldemort with that one."

"I did? How?"

"Treaks cornered you one day months before. Accused you in front of Voldemort and the other Elite of having an affair with an Auror. You countered him by telling Voldemort your seeing me was just part of a mission and that as long as you let me sleep with you, I was willing to sell out the whole Ministry, lock, stock, and proverbial barrel."

"Treaks?" Katlin ask. Orion was beginning to wonder if she had heard anything past the man's name.

"After that," Orion quickly drew her off the subject, "things just seemed to go from bad to worse. Again, with myself as the sole contributing factor."

"You seem very good at blaming yourself. What did you do this time?"

"Sier." came the simple answer.

"Sier?"

"Your 35 year-old medi-wizard." Orion reminded her as he turned back to the lake. "I just...every time I saw you, my soul would die all over again. I missed you beyond any pain I have ever felt in my life. I just honestly didn't know how I was going to keep going through it. Running into you it seemed at every turn, and seeing that...that look of utter ambivalence in your eyes. Having to accept all over again that you didn't know me. That you didn't remember me, our love, the time we spent together. None of it. And...suddenly I had this...this unhoped for chance.....dropped...right into my lap. I couldn't let go of it. I grabbed onto it for dear life and I just hung on."

"And pray tell," Katlin ask, unable to hide completely a small smile, "how exactly did you plan to keep that going? I mean, you said I agreed to marry you. Or marry Sier, at any rate. How did you plan to keep who you really were a secret from your wife?"

Orion gave a small, nervous laugh. "Love, I wasn't really thinking that far in the future. I wasn't, in fact, thinking much further than the altar. Just getting you there was my grand plan in life at the moment."

"So what became of that little scheme?"

"I'm not entirely sure. All I know is that you found some papers in my study with my name on them and did some fast addition, realized who I actually was, and set out to do....well, I guess what came naturally to you when confronted with an enemy."

"Kill you?" Katlin ask in a low voice. "I was going to kill you?"

"With a fervor few people ever manage to obtain in their lifetime."

"So what stopped me?"

"Bo."

"Bo?"

"Tall. Dark. Might be handsome, who knows?"

Katlin's eyes suddenly lit with understanding. "The Dementor!"

Orion cringed. "Boggart, Love. Boggart. Please, don't ever call him a Dementor. He takes serious offence at being called that."

"So he stopped me from killing you?"

"Stunned you, it seemed. And that was when the second Memory Charm was placed on you." Orion stared forlornly out over the lake. "And again I had to watch you taken out of my life, and again, by my own devices."

Katlin laid a hand on his arm. "You wanted me back, Orion." she said in a soft, consoling tone. "And you showed what you were willing to do to get me back. Just as you showed what you were willing to do to prove your love. The only fault you can place on yourself from what I can see, are your methods, not your intentions." she said with a small smile. "But I think this time you have it right. You placed the choice of my decision where it should be. With me."

Orion did his best to return her smile. "And have you made one?"

Katlin stared back at him for a moment. "I know you love me, Orion. You have more than proved that to me. And the only peace I seem to find in any of this is when I am with you. But I do not know if that is enough for me."

"Then what now?"

Katlin sat for a long time simply looking over the lake. Orion knew she was mulling over something, but he couldn't say for sure exactly what part of their discussion had her attention currently. But whatever it was, she was giving it a considerable amount of thought.

"Well?" Orion finally prompted her gently, almost afraid to break into her private debate, but anxious as well to know what her thoughts were.

Katlin shook her head slowly, continuing to stare over the calm waters. "I need to get away from here." she said finally. "I need some time to think."

"Where do you want to go?" he ask.

Katlin shook her head again. "I don't know. I just know I don't want to stay here."

"Well, I don't suggest you go to your apartment." Orion replied. "More than likely Treaks is watching it."

"Watching it?" Katlin turned to him. "Why?"

"You've been away from the lair for several days. He's likely wanting to know where you are."

Katlin turned back to the lake. "I'm not up to facing him right now."

"I couldn't agree more."

"Then where can I go? I can't stay here. I can't go home. I can't go to the lair. That sort of ties down my options."

Orion paused for a moment, watching her continue to gaze out over the lake at the now fading sunset. "I have a suggestion." he offered.

Katlin turned to him.

"You could come to my home." he half-heartedly suggested.

He expected her to laugh at the offer. But instead she gave him a long, thoughtful look.

"Why there?"

"Because it's available, private, no one would think to look for you there, and it's safe."

"Safe?" Katlin ask skeptically.

"You can have a whole wing to yourself if you want. That should give you plenty of space to think."

Katlin continued to stare at him for a moment in silence. But finally she gave him a small smile. "When can we leave?"

****

Q&A

Nessie:

And you thought I was late last time!

My cats did very well through the past hurricanes. One they spent in the utility room. That was fun. The next, because it came at night and it was dark and windy with rain and all that, I kept them inside with me at my parents house.

Well, this chapter wasn't as short, but they will likely run this length t the end, which should be just a few more chapters.

I have a great deal of trouble with MWPP stories that exclude the W as well. It shows an incredible lack of imagination that the writer can't look beyond what they are given. Or at least what they are subjected to the most. They are told over and over that Peter was bad and evil, but Rowling has only mentioned a few times that Peter was indeed a Marauder and was the other three's best friend at one time. People just seem to conveniently forget that part.

I just don't get the tattoos. Maybe it was to make him look more menacing or so.

No mustache.

Your finger wagging has been noted.

Skahducky:

You'll never see the Memory Charm fail completely. That would simply take too long to write. I mean, consider it. Katlin is only remembering things in bits and pieces. Every time she gets a new 'vision', she has to weave that into her tapestry f the things she's already pieced together. This will take an incredible amount of time. And writing something like that? Phfffft. No way, folks. Not unless you want to see Family Relations around 2007.

It would be too easy to have the Memory Charm removed? Try to 'shitick', Dear. An easy answer to the problem. I don't do 'easy'.

'Memory Charms' was correct, Dear. Bo placed his spell on both of the Memory Charms. First on Dumbledore's, and then on his own when he made his Memory Charm 'just like the first one', as Orion told him to do.

Bo didn't have control over the Memory Charms, Dear. He sort of counter-acted them. He placed the first spell to counteract Dumbledore's Memory Charm on Katlin before she even got it. Then, when Orion ask him to place the second one, Bo specifically ask him, 'Do you want this to be just like the first one?' Orion said 'Yes'.

Sorry for the delay.

Sweets:

I'm sure that past the last two hurricanes you saw a bit more damage.

I hope things are going well with your father. He certainly has a lot to contend with. Have they made a diagnosis yet?

I was never sure what Rowling intended with Memory Charms. One assumes they were meant to last at least for a good deal of time, and if one's memory did return, it would be distorted at best. However, they had to keep placing one on the muggle at the World's Quidditch Cup game, so I have no idea how long they last.

But Katlin's situation is slightly different. Her Memory Charms are failing because they are being made to by another, more powerful spell. That being Bo's spell.

Indeed, Orion and Katlin have a very rare opportunity. That of being able to fall in love all over again. The question is, will they?

****

FEVER

Encaitarince:

Who doesn't love a good 'sick' story, Dear?

Frodgirl667:

Fever was a self-contained story and does not continue into, nor is it any part of, any other story.

****

FAMILY LIFE

bbartman79:

Not the first time I've heard this, Dear. It is a common criticism of the story. Such is life.

****

FAMILY RELATIONS

kitti:

Sorry, Dear. I've been threatened by better than you. I am working to get this story to post, but there have been serious delays. Namely Bonnie, Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne.

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SIRIUSLY BORED

Padawan Jan-AQ:

Glad you liked it, Dear.

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THE BONDS THAT TIE

Treskell:

I have only recently discovered Fanfictions new addition of C2 communities and am still trying to figure out exactly what they are. But feel free to put my stories there if you wish.

All reviews are as of 10242004.

And remember;

Am I ambivalent?

Well, yes and no.


	61. Chapter FortyNineB: Mirror Illusions

A/N: Well, now that all those nasty hurricanes seems to have gone away for the season, I think I can get back on schedule a little bit more.

Disclaimer: Five hurricanes later? Folks, I'm still too darned tired to plagiarize anyone.

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CHAPTER FORTY-NINE B: MIRROR ILLUSIONS

Once they apparated to the house, Orion settled Katlin into a room of her own and left the house elves to see to whatever she might need. He was delighted when she conceded to have dinner with him, and Tets seemed to put extra effort into making the meal something special.

After dinner they settled into his den, where Orion continued to fill in many of the still open areas of Katlin's past for her. A question and answer session that went well past midnight. But finally, barely able to stifle a yawn, Orion suggested they quit for the night and continue in the morning. An offer Katlin didn't put up any resistance to as he half expected.

Wandering off to his own room alone after having taken her to her's, Orion console himself with the knowledge that at least he knew where she was. He knew that she was safe and protected.

Getting undressed, he ran a quick check of the wards about the house. But failing to stifle another yawn, finally crawled into bed. Reaching over to the other side, he grabbed one of the pillows and pulled it tightly to him. It wasn't nearly the same. The pillow was soft, but it wasn't warm, or curved in all the familiar places his mind happily reminded him of. Nor did it hug him back, or send him off to sleep with some wonderfully erotic, if not down right lewd, suggestion whispered in his ear about what it might do if it woke up in the middle of the night, bored and unable to go back to sleep. There was no intimate caress. No arm draping its way over his body, or hand wrapping itself comfortably about his.

But still, it was better than nothing.

What it wasn't better than by a long shot was what was down the hallway. Actually, down the hallway, down a flight of stairs, across a banister walk, and through another set of doors, down that hallway.........

Orion quickly stopped himself. The closer he mentally got to her room, the more frustrated his body was getting that he wasn't following its directions.

A frustrated punch landed against the poor substitute. But he instantly regretted it. The pillow certainly wasn't to blame. And all he had succeeded in doing was putting a indentation in it where he didn't want one. Leaning up on his elbow, he started to fluff the pillow up again. But after only a few brief seconds, his mind began to wander again as the pillow took on that alluring shape once more. Laying it back down on the bed, he gently caressed his hand down it, stroking it as though it were...........

He stopped himself abruptly. With an irritated groan he threw himself back on the bed.

Was he honestly getting this desperate? Fondling a pillow?

He turned his head towards the door. Intently he listened for any telling sounds. The creak of a stair. The soft squeak of a floor board. Anything to happily relay to him that his night wasn't going to be as lonely as he anticipated.

It was to the same wistful hoping that he eventually fell asleep, tightly gripping his substitute.

Near one in the morning, Orion heard the door to his room softly open. Rolling over, he saw Katlin slowly pushing the door closed again.

"Katlin?" he ask as she turned about, forgetting his earlier thoughts in the haze of sleep and worrying something might be wrong. "What is it?"

Katlin paused she leaned against his door. But even in the near darkness of his room, Orion could still make out what she was wearing. The soft white satin of her night gown seemed to catch every stray glimmer of the moonlight coming in through his windows and gathered it to itself. Every fold and every drape across her body was accented in soft shades and shadows, highlighting her every curve.

Orion found himself simply staring at her. She looked every bit like a beautifully carved statue, formed under a sculpture's loving and attentive hand. But even in the dim moonlight he could tell the form wasn't that of hard stone. It was soft, and warm, and so very, very inviting.

"I didn't just want to leave the castle to think." Katlin whispered across the darkness to him.

Orion pulled himself up. "What else?"

Katlin slowly sauntered over to his bed. Each step pleasantly accented by the graceful sway of her hips. "Too crowded." she answered in an equally low voice.

Orion smiled at her in the darkness. "And your room?"

"Too lonely." she purred as she came to stand at the edge of his bed.

Orion laid back on the bed, staring up at her. "You seem to have reached an impasse, in my opinion."

"And I'm not here for your opinions." she answered with a soft smile.

Orion smiled up at her as she knelt over him on the bed. "Then what are you here for?"

"Guess."

The next morning Orion woke to a hand slowly caressing its way down his body. He quickly grabbed hold of it and stopped it's progress before it reached it's destination.

"Oh no, Love." he stated, easing the hand back. "No more of that until I've had something to eat. Man has to keep his strength up."

Katlin pulled her body across his. "Poor thing." she purred at him. "Did I always wear you out?"

"All the time."

Katlin slowly pulled back to her side of the bed as she sat up, brushing her hair back.

"That doesn't necessarily mean you have to stop." Orion offered. "It just means I can only go so far."

Katlin turned slowly to him, her face suddenly a mask of worry. "Orion, I have to tell you something about last night." she said quietly. "And I don't think you're going to like it."

Orion leaned back against his pillows. mirroring her worried look. "You're fifteen?"

Despite her serious tone, Katlin couldn't help but smile at him. "Do I look fifteen?"

"No, no," Orion shook a finger at her. "Now that's a loaded question. Because you see, no matter how I answer it, I'm screwed."

"True." she agreed.

Orion smiled back at her. "Love, no matter what you tell me, I doubt it could upset me this morning."

Katlin steeled herself up for his reaction just the same. "Suppose I tell you that last night you were being used? What would you say to that?"

Orion's expression shifted slightly to one of mild confusion as he considered the question. "Hurray?"

Katlin hugged her knees and refused to look at him further.

Pulling himself up, he wrapped his hands gently about her shoulders. "So tell me why I was so 'used' last night." he coaxed.

"Before I even knew about the Memory Charms," Katlin explained slowly, "I was having dreams."

"About what?"

Katlin laughed slightly. "Nothing I cared to tell anyone about."

Orion arched his eyebrows at her with a leering smile. "Those are the best kind."

Katlin nodded. "These were...............interesting." she agreed.

"Any details?"

Katlin turned a sour look to him. "You have a very dirty mind."

Orion shrugged. "Just asking."

Katlin sighed quietly. "Actually, all you have to do is replay last night."

"Really?" Orion asked with a keener interest.

"And that in part is what last night was about."

"In part?"

Katlin turned back to him. "Orion, I know you love me. You've proved it more times in the last few days then most men do in their whole lives. But........., I still look at you, and I don't remember any of the things you talk about. But one thing I do know is my dreams."

"So what did these dreams have to do with last night?"

"In the dreams," Katlin paraphrased, "I'm always....with a man. But I can never see his face. But I know him somehow, of that I'm sure."

"How?"

"Because everything he does, every move he makes, I know. I can predict it. And he knows me. He knows where I like to be touched. He knows how to touch me. He does everything right. He is, in fact, the perfect lover."

"And what has any of that to do with your using me last night?"

Katlin paused as she stared back at him for a moment. "Because I wanted to know........if you were that man. The one whose face I can never see in my dream. Because I know that man was somehow part of my past. I didn't just....invent him. And I needed to know if it was you. If you were part of my past as you claim. I would know by how we made love. If your touch was his. If everything he does, you did as well."

"And did I?"

Katlin gave him a small smile. "You were better."

Orion smiled at her. "Well, I'm better than a memory at least."

Katlin's expression quickly shifted to an apologetic one. "I'm sorry I used you like that, Orion." she stated quietly. "But it was something I needed to know."

Orion gave her a soft laugh as he gathered her up in his arms. "Love, if that is the way you use me, feel free to continue. Test me until you're absolutely sure. Because if that's all it takes it is a small price to pay to get to all those plans I made for our future."

"Our?"

"Of course 'our'. What did you think? I've gone through all this on some haphazard whim?" Orion pulled her closer to him as he smiled down at her. "I have no future without you in it, Katlin."

"Orion..." Katlin started to pull back from him. But he held her firm in his arms.

"I'm not talking about tomorrow, Katlin." he assured her with a small smile. "I'm just warning you. My intentions towards you are very much set. I have only one goal in mind with this. And that is someday to have you as my wife."

"And if I never remember you, or our life together?"

Orion gave anther soft laugh. "I think I'm off to a very good start at jogging your memory."

Katlin returned his smile. "I believe you are. So," she ask softly, "am I forgiven for using you so?"

"I think we're more than even, Love."

"Even?"

"Well, I lied to you about 'Sier'. Do you forgive me for that?"

Katlin paused, then turned back to him with a small smile as she nodded. "Am I forgiven?" she ask.

Orion took her hands in his and kissed them. "Of everything, my love."

Katlin cuddled up closer to him on the bed as his warm arms wrapped themselves about her shoulders. "As do I....of everything."

Orion paused as he held her. It wasn't truly fair of him to ask her to forgive everything he had done. Especially when he had still withheld from her the worst of his actions.

And he knew he would have to tell her.

And he knew it would have to be soon.

****

(Scene change)

Arriving back at the lair, Katlin made her way quickly to her own rooms. She wanted to reorient herself with what was happening with the Deatheaters before she went to see Voldemort.

But when she entered her room, what greeted her was the last thing she expected. The room was in a shambles. Drawers were pulled out and left on the floor, and papers seemed to be everywhere. All in all, the place look as thought it had been ransacked.

A noise from the back instantly caught her attention. The sound of another drawer being pulled out and things being rifled through. Katlin pulled out her wand and headed for the open door across the room. These were her private quarters past that door. And whoever was back there was looking at a very short life span.

"Johnathan?!" Katlin screamed as she entered the room.

The man in front of her practically jumped a foot into the air at the sound of her voice. But when he turned around he did a remarkably good impression of total innocence.

"How dare you!" Katlin screamed again. "These are my private rooms! What in Magic's name are you doing in here?"

Treaks only stared silently back at her as he desperately thought for something to say.

"Answer me!" Katlin demanded.

At the tone of her vice Treaks pulled himself up to his full height, staring down at her. "Show more respect, Katlin."

"To you?" she laughed. "You are fortunate I even deem it worth my time to bother to offer you the opportunity to explain yourself instead of just killing you now."

Treaks grabbed hold of her arm. "And you should be grateful I don't order you executed for speaking to me so."

"You have lost your mind. You have no authority to give such an order."

"As leader of the Deatheaters, I assure you I do."

"Leader?" she ask. "By whose order?"

"Lord Voldemort's, in his absence....and in yours."

Katlin gave the man a hard stare. "Where is Lord Voldemort?"

"He is still away from the lair." Treaks replied smoothly.

"That is not answering my question!"

Treaks hardened his tone. "And I am not obligated as such to give you any answers. Thus far I have acted solely out of courtesy. But even my patients is wearing very thin with you right now, Katlin."

"As. Is. Mine."

"I would be much more careful if I were you, Katlin."

"Really? Then allow me to inform you of a fact that seem to have escaped you."

"And that would be?"

"If....if Lord Voldemort appointed you as leader in his absence, that role ends with my return. I am Lord Voldemort's second-in-command, and your superior. Therefore, as of now, you are leader of the Deatheaters no longer. And you will answer my questions, Johnathan."

Treaks gave Katlin a very small, tight smile. "That is where you are wrong, Katlin." he replied. "You will, in fact, relinquish your claim of leadership to me. And you will do it before all of the Deatheaters."

Katlin stared back at the man before her for a moment before breaking into a laugh. "You have utterly lost your mind. I will do no such thing."

"But you will, Love."

Katlin's eyes narrowed at the word. "You will not call me that again." she told him in a low, dangerous tone. "Not now. Not ever again."

"Really?" Treaks replied in an almost bored tone. Pulling out his wand, he pointed it at the floor. Instantly a small flame shot up from the ground.

At the sight of it, Katlin practically jumped back, her eyes wide with a fear that disappeared as quickly as it arose.

Treaks turned to her with a small smile as he dismissed the flame with a slight wave of his wand.

"Well now," he stated, "it seems Voldemort was telling the truth about one thing. I wonder what else he was telling the truth about."

"Truth?" Katlin asked, watching the man with a great deal more caution now.

"Your aversion to fire."

Katlin tried to cover her reaction to the flame. "Anyone would have reacted the same to a fire suddenly lit at their feet, Johnathan."

"True, Love," he replied. "But your reaction is still very special. Voldemort explained to me just how badly just the sight of fire affects you."

Katlin paused, judging her words carefully. "Voldemort would never have told you such a thing. Why would he? For what purpose?"

"Why, to take care of you, Love." The man gave her a less than friendly smile. "Someone to guard your secrets, in case anything were......to happen to him."

Katlin's stomach suddenly clenched up inside of her. "Where is Voldemort, Johnathan?" she repeated.

"I don't know." he replied, putting a hand up to stop her before she could protest the answer. "That is the truth, Katlin. He didn't say where he was going. Only that I was to take care of the daily running of the lair until he returned."

"You?"

"The 'next in line', as it were, Katlin. Lord Voldemort is gone, you were not here....for several days. Voldemort turned to the next person in his chain of command."

Katlin stared back at him in silence.

"Now back to the matter at hand. I do wonder what else the Dark Lord told me about you that will prove just as true as your dislike of fire?"

"Voldemort would have told you nothing!" Katlin practically spit back at him.

"Really? Then how did I know that the mere sight of fire terrifies you?"

Katlin again only stared back at him in silence.

"But to be fair to the Dark Lord," Treaks acknowledged, "Voldemort really wasn't himself when he left. I'm sure he told me many things about you that he normally wouldn't." Treaks gave her a triumphant smile. "All I had to do was just be a concerned 'friend'......, and listen." Treaks shook his head in mock sympathy as Katlin continued to stare back at him. "The poor man really wasn't himself at all. But who can blame him? After all, he just suffered such a horrible loss."

"Loss?" Katlin questioned in a small voice.

"Why yes, Love." he replied with a growing smile. "That of the Head of his Elite guard."

Katlin's eyes widened suddenly. "Me!?" she stated in a startled voice. "He thinks I'm dead?"

"Well, not at first." Treaks acknowledged. "But with enough guidance, the idea did eventually find fertile ground in that twisted little mind of his. Especially after he had just sent you on such a dangerous mission, knowing full well you weren't yourself. And you haven't been back for days, Katlin. And you sent no word. No owls......, nothing."

"I came back!" Katlin stated. "I was here! In the lair!"

"Ah, that may be true, Katlin." Treaks answered her with the same pleased smile. "But you see, Voldemort didn't see you."

"You saw me! You knew I was here, Johnathan. You kne..........." Katlin stopped abruptly as understanding dawned on her. "You didn't tell him." she all but whispered.

"Well, there's been so much to do, Katlin. Taking over leadership. It must have slipped my mind."

"You bast......."

"Now that you're back, however, I think one of the things we should discuss is our wedding."

"Our what?!"

"Our wedding, my Love."

"You have lost your mind! I am not marrying you. Not now. Not ever."

"But you will, Love. Or we'll have to go back to discussing all those lovely little secrets about you that the Dark Lord told me before he left so abruptly."

"What things? You may know about my aversion to fire, Johnathan. But I am far willing to bet you learned that by some other means than from Voldemort's lips."

"Really?" Treaks replied with a small smile. "Then I suppose we'll have to see, won't we? Honestly, Katlin, you should know when you are bested and concede."

Katlin pulled her hand back, fully intent on striking the man before her. But Treaks stopped her, grabbing hold of her wrist, pulling her roughly to him. For a moment he simply looked at her, staring at her face as though he was looking for something specific.

"Yes, Voldemort did very good work on you, my Love." he said finally. "Anyone looking at you...., any man, would never know."

Katlin gave a solid pull against his grip, but failed to break free. "Know what?" she asked in a harsh whisper.

Treaks grabbed her firmly under the chin with his other hand and turned her face towards him. "That that lovely face you wear......., isn't yours."

Katlin did her best to shield any surprise from her expression as she pulled back slightly against his hold again. But Treaks refused to let her go.

"Your face, your looks, your whole body...., all of you, was so badly burned in that fire all those years ago that you nearly died. You were so badly scarred, in fact, that no man would want you if they saw what you truly looked like."

Katlin pulled back, breaking free this time as she slapped his hands away from her. "Voldemort would never have told you such a thing!" she all but screamed at him.

Treaks answered her accusation with a pleased smile. "And as I said," he repeated, "the Dark Lord really wasn't quite himself. All I had to do was sit....and listen. Now," he added, pulling back from her as he began to walk about the room, "let's get back to the subject at hand, shall we. Our wedding."

"I will never marry you." Katlin hissed at him.

Treaks turned back to her with a small smile. "Really? Then tell me something, Love. Where have you been these past several days? If I were to bet on your whereabouts, I would venture you were spending a good deal of that time with your Auror lover. Am I right?"

Katlin only stared back at him without answering.

"No matter. It's a fairly safe bet. Where else would you be but off trying to rebuild something of that perverse relationship. Your ever-loving, supporting, dedicated Auror. But tell me, exactly how much 'loving support' do you think Mr. Black would still give you so agreeably" Treaks ask, turning back to her, "if he knew the truth?"

Katlin remained silent, trying to show as little emotion as possible.

"What man in his right mind would even want you if they actually had to spend the rest of their lives looking at your real face? But I am a reasonable man, Katlin. I am still willing to marry you, even after I learned the truth about you. 'Sight unseen', as it were. But you will serve me by your position among the Deatheaters. And you will support me before Voldemort."

"And if I don't? Katlin ask in as level a voice as she could manage.

"If you do not, my Love, I will stand you before your Auror, and I will strip that mask off your face right before his eyes. And then we will see how long his love lasts."

"Orion loves me." Katlin stated defiantly. "It would not matter to him."

"Really? And how long will that love stand when he starts to think about things, Katlin? When he realizes that not only have you lied to him for months, but that you never intended to tell him the truth?"

Katlin again fell silent to the threat.

"Now then," Treaks went on, "I think there has been enough delay to the happy event. Therefore, I think we should set the date as soon as possible. I believe the end of the week gives you enough time to prepare?"

"The end of the week!?" Katlin protested. "That is only three days away!"

"And if I weren't busy with other matters it would be tonight!" Treaks snapped back at her. "Now you will present yourself at this lair on that evening and we will be wed, Katlin."

Katlin stared at the back of the door for a very long time after Treaks had left, slamming it after him.

She couldn't let this happen. If she gave into this blackmail, and Treaks realized what a formidable weapon it was, she would never be free of him.

Katlin opened the door and headed down the hallway. She wasn't going to give herself time to think about this. She had only one course of action to take.

And it started with going to see Orion.

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Q&A

Bexpotter:

Yes, Dear, finally an update. And contrary to your believe, you were first.

Unfortunately, the hold-up will effect Family Relations. You can now look for it the beginning of 2005. Sorry, folks. I don't control the weather.

I was debating whether to skip Runaway and post Family Relations first. But with the content of the stories and how they inter-react with each other, I'm not sure I can. We'll see.

Silverfox:

So nice to see you back, Dear. You, Nessie, and Skahducky have been my faithful reviewers through all of this, although I seem to have lost Nessie this time.

Personally, I think the studio overbooked their expenditure budget and needed to blow off some bucks. Therefore we got treated to that three second scene. Whoppie!

Wow! You do like to think things out. That's why I don't mind helping you out.

OK, first off, yes, Bo dislikes Hershal not for what he did, but for what he is.

Second, no, Bo did not punish Hershal for anything he did. Bo does not punish people on his own, Dear. He has no concept of right and wrong really. At least not that above a three year olds understanding of the concept. I mean, if you hit him, he'll get annoyed, and probably strike back. But does he see what you did as 'wrong'? No. Just that he didn't like it.

Three, what Hershal became Bo is responsible for, but only so far as Hershal ask him to do it.....sort of. (Think about the Memory Charm and how that got messed up.)

The problem between your e-mail provider and AuthorAlert is well understood, Dear. My computer had a problem between itself and getting electricity the past two months. seemed to get getting cut off about four days at a time. Very annoying.

Bo does not just 'dislike' Dementors, Dear. He borders on hating them. But since I have often said Bo doesn't 'hate' anyone, we'll just say he really, really, really dislikes them....a lot. Why is a bit complicated. Try thinking of it this way; Bo isn't a person, (as I have gone around and around about), he is an entity. A magical force given a personality...of sorts. Now, that magical force is, for all intents and purposes right now neutral. Now, let's apply a little physics here. Take a something with a neutral charge and apply a negative charge to it. What happens? Well, for starters, you really mess with the neutral charge. This is sort of what you have with Bo and Dementors. They don't effect him as they do humans. But he does feel them. And he doesn't like that feeling very much. To the Dementors, Bo is a force they can't quite figure out either. They know they don't effect him as they are used to effecting people, but they know they effect him somehow. They also have no idea what he is. They tend to view him as sort of a Patronis. Who would win in a stand off? Why Bo, of course.

Some of my stories have been put in C2 communities, but that's all I know about them.

Skahducky:  
Yes, Dear, I was very late in posting and I do apologize. But it's a bit hard to write with no electricity as well as post anything. And between cleaning up from one hurricane before getting hit by the next, I just didn't have a lot of spare time.

No, Dumbledore can't remove the Memory Charm. As Orion explained, doing s would hurt Katlin. So they have decided to let Bo's spell take its natural course and let the spells wear off under the influence f Bo's spell. How long will that take? If I wrote it out I think I mentioned you'd be seeing Family Relations around 2007. So there are things she will not remember for a very long time. But those will be trivial details as that Orion is telling her almost everything else that was of importance in her past.

And as for the chapter thing........is not!

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FEVER

CelticHeiressFiona:

Sorry, Dear. Fever ended at Chapter Thirteen.

All reviews are as of 10312004. Happy Halloween, Folks!

And remember;

I see you're playing stupid again.

Looks like you're winning too.


	62. Chapter FortyNineC: Ticking Off Treaks

A/N: You might note (though little care), that this chapter has a subtitle.

There's a reason for that.

You see, the last chapter was mis-named. This chapter was suppose to be titled Mirror Illusions, for obvious reasons, but I had already put that as the title of the last chapter, and holding to my idiosyncrasy of never renaming chapters, I was stuck. Plus, this one was already given a name long before I thought to rename it. So, stuck again.

As I said, you might not care, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Do you have any idea just how hard it is to come up with 49 reasons why this isn't mine? Why you shouldn't sue me? Why these characters, except for the original ones, aren't mine? Why the plot is mine? Why the setting isn't? Why is the sun yellow? Why does Winter follow Fall? Why are trees green? Why is my computer gray? Why did Bush win? Why, after all these chapters, are you still reading these things?

****

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE C: TICKING OFF TREAKS

(aka MIRROR ILLUSIONS-PART TWO)

Katlin arrived at Orion's house to an enthusiastic welcome.

"Well, I didn't expect to have you come by the house so soon, Love." he exclaimed happily. "How were things at the lair?"

Katlin paused as she considered what to tell him. She hated seeing how happy he was. Knowing she was about to destroy it once and for all.

"Things were not as well as I had hoped for, Orion." she stated plainly.

"Meaning?"

"There was.....some trouble."

"Trouble? What sort of trouble?"

Katlin sighed softly as she turned to face him. "Johnathan."

Orion met the declaration with a slight huff. "And here I thought it was something important." he replied. Reaching out he took her hands in his. "Johnathan Treaks isn't 'trouble', Love. He's a nuisance. Nothing more."

"You treat him far too lightly, Orion." Katlin warned, coming to stand before him, her arms crossed over her chest. "You don't know him like I do. You've seen what he can do. How vengeful he can be. Why can't you just leave him alone and let me deal with him?"

"Because if he's as dangerous as you say, then what is to stop him from one day doing you real harm? Worse than he's already done."

"Voldemort." Came the short, resolute answer.

"And from what I've seen, Voldemort not only doesn't control Treaks very well, he encourages a lot of that man's actions."

"Voldemort would never let Johnathan harm me."

"Never?" Orion replied, pulling her into his lap. "He's a bit late for that, Love. For the things that man has done to you, I would kill him."

"And if he ever did me serious harm, Voldemort would."

"That man nearly killed you. What more 'serious harm' does daddy want?"

"You think Johnathan told Voldemort about anything he's done?"

"I would have thought you would."

Katlin shook her head. "It would have caused more problems than it solved, Orion. It would have been his word against mine, and I would have had to answer too many questions to prove my claim. Besides, he's hardly likely to try that again, is he?"

"Not here. What's to stop him from cornering you in the lair one day?"

"I told you that already."

"Fine. Maybe not at the lair then. What about somewhere else? Somewhere I'm not there, or Voldemort. Then what?"

"He won't hurt me, Orion. You just have to believe that. He would have too much to lose. Too much he's worked for."

Orion stared up at her. "I can't believe you can just stand there and treat this man so casually. Katlin, he has tried to kill you once. He will try again. You don't have some.....some magic charm that protects you from him."

Katlin stared at him for a moment. "Yes, I do." She finally said softly.

Orion continued to look up at her, his stare becoming even more disbelieving at her statement. "What? Voldemort again? He can't be everywhere, Katlin. Nor can I. One day, someone's luck in this circle is going to run out. I would rather personally it was Treaks more than yours, mine, or Voldemort's."

"Maybe it will." She replied.

"Katlin," Orion stated, getting up to face her, "I have known men like Treaks before. I know what they are like. They try to possess women. And that's all you are to Treaks. A possession. The way the man treats you, he acts like he thinks he owns you."

Katlin turned her eyes from Orion's. "He does." She whispered, refusing to look at him as the words left her lips.

Orion leaned down to her, trying to capture her stare again. "Pardon?" He asked.

Katlin turned just her eyes back to the man before her. "He does." She replied in the same whisper of a voice.

Orion gave her a hard, questioning stare. "What do you mean 'he does'. Treaks doesn't own you, Katlin."

"But he does."

"How?"

Katlin closed her eyes, still refusing to look at him. "Orion, please leave this alone."

But Orion turned her back to him. "Katlin, what is going on? What is Treaks up to?"

"Nothing you can do anything about, Orion. So just leave it alone."

"Katlin, the only reason I can't help you is that you're not telling me what's wrong. Now if he's done something......"

"Orion," Katlin cut him off abruptly, "Johnathan and I are going to be married."

Orion sat stone still under her. "Married?" he asked finally.

Katlin nodded. "At the end of the week."

"That's barely three days away!"

Katlin nodded again.

"Tell him to blow!"

"I can't do that."

"It's really very simple, Love."

"Not this time."

"Why not?"

"I just can't, Orion. Now please, I have accepted it. And it won't be that bad. All he wants is the power he will gain as my husband. He likely won't even care who I see or what I do."

Orion gave her a thoughtful look. "He has tried this before, Katlin, and we had a sure-fire way of stopping him. Do you remember that?"

Katlin paused as she searched her still spotty memory, then slowly shook her head.

Orion gave her a pleased smile. "We decided, Love, that he couldn't marry you........if you were already married."

"Already married!?"

"We were going to be married if you'll recall....well, as best you can, anyway. Damn spell. But we were planning to be married. And to be perfectly honest with you, I don't relish the idea of Johnathan Treaks stealing my bride away...again. So what do you say?"

Katlin gave him a confused stare. "To what?"

"Getting married, Love. We'll beat Treaks by beating him to the altar."

Katlin was out of his arms within seconds, pacing about the room as she wrapped her arms about herself. All of Johnathan's words coming back to her in a flood. "No, Orion." she said firmly. "We can't get married."

Orion remained in the chair, watching her pace back and forth. "Is there a reason for that?"

Katlin turned an exacerbated stare back to him. "Orion, I....I hardly know you."

Orion quickly held a finger up. "Just a minute." he stated. "You hardly know me well enough to marry me, but enough to sleep with me? Love, that makes no sense!"

"Orion, what difference does it make who I'm married to? I told you. Johnathan only wants what power he can get through my position in the lair. He doesn't want me. And he won't care what I do or who with once he has that. This will change nothing between us."

"Except that you will be married to him." Orion stated flatly.

"It won't matter."

"It will to me."

"Why?"

"Because you'll be his wife."

"And you'll have lost to him, is that it?"

Orion pulled himself out of the chair. "I don't sleep with other men's wives, Katlin." he stated resolutely.

"How very noble."

"I do happen to have some scruples."

"So if I marry Johnathan, that's the end of us?"

"Not exactly the one I've been planning on, that's for sure."

"Planning on?"

"What, you think I didn't plan anything?" Orion asked. Stepping over to the sofa, Orion beckoned Katlin over to him. With a skeptical stare, she at first held her ground then finally slowly walked over to him.

"And?" she asked.

Orion patted the space next to him, which Katlin slowly lowered herself into.

"Now you see," Orion explained, "my whole plan was to get you down here, and," he added leaning her back against the cushions as he wrapped an arm abut her shoulders, "get you all nice and comfortable," he went on fishing about in the cushions on his other side, "and in a very elegant manner, that has nothing whatsoever to do with this one," he said, pulling out a small black box, which he presented to her as he opened it, "ask you to marry me."

Katlin's mouth fell open at the sight of the ring nestled in its velvet bed, happily winking at her in the reflected light of the small fire. But she just as quickly shut it again as reality closed in on her thoughts once more.

Slowly she shook her head as a small tear rolled down her cheek, staring at all she was being forced to refuse, looking hopefully up at her from the small bed of velvet.

"I can't." she whispered.

"Why not?" came the equally soft question.

Katlin quickly pulled herself to her feet. "I just can't." she replied. "I...I can't tell you why. I'm just asking for you to understand and accept that. I just....can't."

"Well, as that I don't do either, I'm afraid I can't give you that, Katlin. You love me. I know you do. Now if Treaks is holding you by something........"

But Katlin slowly shook her head. "He isn't holding me by anything. Only by what you are giving him, because you can't just leave this alone as I ask. And because you have to have your answers, you would destroy what little we have left." Katlin abruptly turned back about to face him. "Very well, Mr. Black." she stated firmly. "You want your answers, you'll have them. But you just remember one thing. You are the one who ask for them."

Before Orion could say a word, Katlin raised her arms and spoke a quick, short spell.

The result was a stream of light that shot above her, then fell back on her as it wound its way about her body. Slowly it glowed about her, then faded as it followed its path to the floor as it continued to circle her.

In the aftermath a young woman stood who Orion at first didn't even recognize, so drastic was the transformation from the spell.

Two violet eyes stared out at him from behind a face so badly scarred hardly a single place on it wasn't touched in some way. The body no longer stood erect and proud. It now stooped slightly, as though just holding itself up was a concentrated effort. Most of the body itself was covered in the robe she still wore. But her hands showed what lay beneath. Two gnarled, misshapen bits of flesh with mismatched fingers were held close to the body, one clutching tightly at the robe.

"Are you satisfied?" A rasping voice ask past a mouth that had considerable trouble even shaping the words.

Orion stood staring back at her, saying nothing.

"Now you see." she stated in the same, grating voice. "You see the lie I lived every day I was with you. What I fought so hard for. What I tried to keep you from ever seeing."

Orion only continued to stare at her.

"When Voldemort found me," Katlin went on, "I had already been burned in the fire. I told you I was in pain. Horrible, unbearable pain." She gestured to herself. "This was the cause. But even then I didn't know the extent of my injuries myself. I didn't realize how bad it really was until I saw myself for the first time in a mirror. One that hung in my room." Katlin turned slowly back to the floor. "All I wanted, all I begged for...prayed for, was to die. I wasn't extraordinarily pretty before the fire. But this! How could I be ask to live looking like this. Voldemort tried to make me see it didn't matter what I looked like. At least not to him. But it did matter. It mattered very much to a fifteen-year-old girl.

At first I fought him. I did everything I could to refuse his help and let myself just die. And over several days, Voldemort became very frightened for me. He knew if things continued as they were, if I didn't try to survive...., that I wouldn't. And so he devised a way to rekindle my interest in living. With his magic, he fashioned for me the illusion you see. Although, as you know, it is a great deal more than a simple illusion. When the spell is in place, it is what I physically become. The scars are healed. My body is free of pain. People look at me without fear and disgust. Men look at me with desire. All the things I would be denied if not for the gift he gave me." Katlin turned back to face him. "Even Treaks would likely think twice if he ever actually saw the truth."

Orion stared back at her for a few moments in silence. "Then Treaks is an even bigger fool than I ever thought him." he answered finally.

Katlin looked up sharply. "What?!"

"I said the man is an even bigger fool than I ever thought him if he would turn away from a chance to be with you because of this."

Katlin paused as she studied the man before her carefully. "You're not surprised at all." she said slowly, noting his expression never once had changed. Suddenly understanding dawned over her. "You knew!"

Orion stood in silence for a moment, then nodded slowly.

"How?"

"Bo."

"Bo?"

"When you first went down into the cellar, after I had sent you back up the stairs, Bo told me he had sensed some type of a concealment charm. Well, I knew that you could alter your appearance, and I thought that that was all Bo was tapping into, so I tried later to explain that to him. But Bo was adamant about his discovery. He stated that what he sensed was a 'foreign magic', which for him meant that the instigator of the spell wasn't the person it was on. And whatever it was, I knew you weren't using it to purposely deceive me. I knew who you were, so what would be the point there? So there had to be some other reason. Something very serious to you. Then, when you told me the story of what happened in your village, I couldn't understand how you could have been in that fire and gotten out without a mark. Not the way you described it and how you were trapped in it. You had to have been burnt, which explained the concealment charm Bo said he first sensed around you."

Katlin stared back at the ring still held in her hands. "And this is to keep me safe from Johnathan." she stated in a low whispered voice.

"You think that is the only reason I am doing this?"

Katlin turned her eyes slowly to him. "Is it?" she ask in a tone that tried t mask her fear of the answer.

Orion gently took both of her hands in his. "Katlin, I am asking you to marry me because I have never in my life felt about a woman the way I feel about you, Love." He gently tilted her head up towards his, careful in each movement not to hurt her. "From the day I first laid my eyes on you, I have never known this kind of love could even exist. The kind that invades your every thought during the day and won't let you sleep at night. That can drive a sane man to madness. That you would do anything ask of you just to hold onto it. You brought into my life a peace and contentment I have never known before. Every moment I spend with you is pure peace. Every second you are not there is utter torture.

Katlin, I need you in my life. I need you to make me complete now. I can never go back to what I was, and I never want to. The only life I will ever have now is the one with you in it. I want you as my lover, as my friend, but mostly as my wife." Orion stared down at her with more longing than he had ever felt for anything in his life. "Now," he asked, his breath gently caressing her cheek, "what is your answer?"

****

Q&A

Silverfox:

I hope that Deatheater you are alluding to is Treaks and not Katlin.

Once again, allow me to point out, Bo does not punish people. It isn't in his nature. Although it is a very fine line sometimes.

Aside from that, again, what he did, he did to Hershal because Hershal asked him to. And once more let me remind you of the Memory Charm and how wrong that went.

We had a Spamblocker at work that, when initiated, did not come through on many of the computers that it was suppose to be loaded onto. We reasoned that this was due to the program, thinking itself was spam, eliminated itself from the download of the computer.

OK, credit time here, because you latched not something I had not thought f. How would a boggart appear to a Dementor? What do Dementors fear? A Patronus. So what would Bo naturally appear as to a Dementor? Although it was not what I originally was getting at in my answer, I like the concept and would, with your permission, of course, like to use it in the future.

Skahducky:

Well, Katlin will eventually recover all of her memory, actually. But just how long that will take is uncertain.

OK, for the next part it depends on what you think Orion has to tell her. If you think what he's keeping from her is what he told her about Voldemort, you're wrong. He told her that. What he hasn't told her has far more reaching consequences than even Orion has yet realized.

I appreciate your patience, Dear, and yes, it is already Fall, 2004. Darned near Winter 2004. But when I made that prediction for a posting date for Family Relations, Florida had not yet been hit by four hurricanes.

Our new posting date is early 2005.

Reviews are as of 11/07/2004.

And remember;

Change is for people who aren't already perfect.


	63. Chapter FortyNine D: Three's A Charm

A/N: Hmmmm......, can't think of a thing to say. Except,

as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: What? Still!? Honestly!

****

CHAPTER FORTY-NINED: Three's A Charm

A.K.A. **And Marrying Liquor Is Still Illegal**

Katlin continued to stare at the ring in her hands. After a few moments she stepped back over to the fire.

It just seemed so utterly right to her.

Married. To an Auror. To an Unspeakable.

Nothing in her life ever felt so right.

Carefully she slipped the ring out of the box and tilted it against the light of the fire. It was absolutely beautiful. It winked happily at her, begging her to slip it on her finger.

Very carefully Katlin eased the gold band over her scarred and wrinkled skin until the ring came to rest at the base of her third finger.

Two arms encircled her without the slightest hesitation. All the love that was ever in them still held her as Orion pulled her gently against him. "It fits perfectly." he commented over her shoulder. "That's a good omen."

Katlin gave a small smile. Maybe it was.

"You charmed it." she replied skeptically but with a small, pleased smile nonetheless. "So no matter the size, it would fit."

"I did no such thing!" Orion lightly chide her suggestion, his arm pulling her a little tighter against him. "It fits because that is where it wants to be."

Katlin frowned slightly as she turned her hand this way and that as she admired the ring.

"Oh," she cooed in a slightly disappointed tone, "and I was so hoping to get to do this once more."

"This?" Orion asked in a puzzled tone.

"Fall in love with you again." Katlin explained.

Orion gave a half-hearted sigh as he pulled his wand out. "Well, I think we can accommodate such a small request."

Katlin turned in his arms and stared up at him with a cautious look as he stared down at her. Tapping his wand to the very tip of her nose, he spoke a quick spell, but putting absolutely no force behind it at all.

But Katlin, on cue, still gave him a perfectly blank stare. She then quickly looked about.

"Where am I?" She stated in a dramatic tone. "This isn't my house."

"If you don't remember, how do you know?" Orion asked with a teasing smile.

"Oh! Good point." Katlin quickly turned to him, giving him a puzzled stare. "Do I know you?"

Orion looked crushed. "Don't you remember me?"

Katlin studied him for a moment, then shook her head. "Not at all. But you look familiar." Katlin studied him again. "In fact, I would swear I was falling in love with you."

"How very coincidental." Orion told her sincerely. "For you see, you, in fact, were madly in love with me before."

"Was I?"

Orion nodded emphatically.

"Well, I was obviously also a woman of very good taste."

Orion smiled at her. "And you're luck was very good too. For you see, I just happen to have a ring with me, which, is, oddly enough, already on your finger."

Katlin's eyes lit up again as she studied the ring on her finger.

"So," she asked as Orion brought her hand up to his lips and placed a loving kiss on the ring, "do you just make a habit of asking clueless woman to marry you?"

"Only the pretty ones." he replied, kissing her hand this time.

Katlin slowly pulled free of his embrace and stepped a few feet away from him. She spoke a quick spell, and almost instantly a near blinding light enveloped her, fading as Orion turned questioningly to her.

In her place again stood the tall, statuesque beauty.

"It's not vanity." she answered his stare, returning to his welcoming arms. "It's pain. I can't stay in that form for long without suffering the pain of it."

Orion nodded his understanding. "So, what was so important about doing this again?" he ask.

"Because this is the third time." Katlin replied.

"So?"

"That's good luck!" Katlin stated happily. "You know, three's a charm."

"But this is the fourth time, Love."

Katlin shook her head slightly. "Sier doesn't count. I didn't know it was you."

"Well then." Orion replied. "Since you're so into numbers and such, since tonight is the third of the month, why don't we get married tonight?"

"Tonight!" Katlin's mouth fell open. "You can't be serious? Orion, we have to plan...."

"For what? My parents are traveling abroad. No other member of my family could be here either. Charly wouldn't come. On your side, I just don't see Voldemort shopping for wedding presents, and I would bet on Treaks waiting for the end of the week."

"But you can't arrange for a wedding in one night!"

"And I think we have very little choice, as that you are suppose to be marrying Treaks in three days."

"But he has nothing to hold me by now, Orion. I can, as you suggested, tell him to 'blow'."

"Love, he'll keep coming back. He'll find something else. Now, I want you free of him once and for all. I love you, you love me, you don't love Treaks, and we're this far. I see no good reason to stop now."

"But how can we do this now? We haven't made any arrange..........."

Orion cut her off as he pulled out his wand again and pointed it at the fire.

"Arthur Freesher."

A man's voice quickly answered the call.

"Merlin's Beard! That was quick!" A tall, thin, blond haired man stepped out of the flames and stood before them. "Bride said 'yes'?" he inquired with a disarmingly pleasant smile.

Orion immediately shifted his attention to the newcomer, altering his expression as he nodded happily.

"Poor girl." The man looked Katlin over sympathetically before turning back to Orion. "So when does the Confundus charm wear off then?"

"Hysterical." Orion replied. "Just what I wanted. A Justice of the Peace with a sense of humor."

Katlin stared up at the man. "Justice of......"

"The Peace, dear girl." The man finished for her. "We've been known to do weddings."

"What exactly were you doing?" Katlin asked Orion as she turned to him with a half-serious look. "Hiding him in a closet?"

"We're also known to accept retainers." The man informed her.

"Retainers?"

"For several months." The man shot Orion a quick look. "Merlin's Beard! It certainly took you enough time to screw up that infamous courage of yours."

Orion shrugged slightly.

But Katlin kept her stared fixed on him. "You had been planning for months to ask me to marry you?"

Orion simply shrugged again, getting a bit more uncomfortable. By his watch, they should have been married by now. "It does prove I'm not marrying you for any of the reasons you think though." he hopefully pointed out.

Katlin had to agree with that one. "And you were so sure I was going to say 'yes'," she said, "you kept a Justice of the Peace on retainer?"

"More like wishful thinking." Freesher supplied.

Katlin turned a questioning stare to him.

"He, in fact, wasn't sure you'd say 'yes' at all. And I wouldn't count it all on his getting up the courage to ask you. I mean, had to sobered up long enough to remember to ask you to marry him."

Orion sneered at the man. "You're really not helping Arthur." He stated. "And I'll have you know I haven't had a drink in months."

The man returned a very concerned look. "Months?" He asked forlornly. "This....this isn't like.,...for good, is it? Just some sort of a phase? I mean, I might have some Beefeater stock I'd like to drop."

"Hysterical." Orion replied in a deadpan voice. "Just get on with it, will you?"

The man looked Katlin over for a second, then turned suddenly back to Orion. "Waaaait a minute!" He stated. "This isn't going to turn out that as soon as you slip the ring on her finger she turns into a bottle of Tanqueray, is it? Because I've warned you about that, Black, and it's still illegal. You can not marry a bottle of booze. I don't care how much you swear you love it."

Orion turned his attention to a very puzzled looking Katlin. "Don't worry, Love." he reassured her. "It's all perfectly legal. And once the medication kicks in, he starts making perfect sense."

"Nice." Freesher replied, opening the book that appeared in his hands. "O.K., moving right along. Do you, Orion Sirius Black.........."

"Sirius?" Katlin broke in quickly.

"Here! No interruptions!" Freesher put in. "I gets nervous. Can't do it proper like then."

"Sirius!?" Katlin stated again, ignoring the man in front of her and turning to her husband-to-be.

"So my parents weren't terribly imaginative."

"And what's your brother's middle name then? Orion?"

Orion simply stood and looked at her, saying nothing.

"Wonderful."

"All set then?" Freesher asked. "Good. Moving on. Have you, Orion Sirius Black, utterly lost your mind, decided that a life of loose woman, wild, late night parties, drinking with your mates until all hours, and drunken orgies no longer suits you, mate?"

Orion gave the man a perfectly somber stare. "Absolutely."

"And you are perfectly satisfied that for the rest of your life you will be waking up to the same woman in your bed?"

"Thrilled out of my mind."

Freesher sighed to himself, then, with one last look, turned to Katlin. "All right then, you silly co........." Freesher caught Katlin's narrowing stare, "cooooooo.....nfunded, poor, misguided child," he amended quickly, putting on his most charming smile. "Do you have any idea whatsoever what you're getting yourself into?"

"Yes." Katlin answered plainly, continuing to give the man a narrowed stare.

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

"Really?"

"Really."

Freesher sighed and turned back to his book. "Right then, moving on. Where are we at? Ah, yes. Does anyone have any objections to the wedding?"

Katlin stood silently for a moment, but then slowly raised her hand.

"Uh oh." Freesher observed quickly. "This is not a good sign, Black. Your bride is objecting to the wedding." The man turned a perfectly sober stare to Orion. "Confundus must be wearing off. Care to have another go at it before we proceed?"

But Orion had turned his attention to his soon-to-be-bride. "Katlin?"

"I'm not objecting." Katlin assured him. "It's just that....Orion, have you really thought about this? I mean, what about Johnathan?"

"Johnathan?" Freesher inquired with interest at the man's name.

Katlin turned briefly to him. "The man I'm engaged to be marrying in three days."

Orion sighed quietly as he turned back to Freesher. "Give us a moment, will you?"

The man held his hands up. "I'm paid by the hour, Black. Argue all night for all I care." He added, turning to the small bar set up. "You have vodka?"

"Oh, please. Help yourself. Don't let this little personal crisis interfere with your drinking, Arthur."

The man shrugged as he poured himself a drink. "Hasn't before. Why change now?" He offered, taking a seat on one of the stool at the counter facing the two. "Now look, the way I see it, you really have only one problem here, excluding that the present groom is a drunken lush."

"You should talk!" Orion spoke up quickly. "That's not exactly a glass of water you have in your hand there, Arthur."

"Knowing you, Black, half of it is. But aside from you watering down your liquor, the problem to me seems to be you have one groom too many. Solution, get rid of one. Problem solved."

Orion turned to Katlin with a pleased smile. "Arthur is our Departmental problem solver."

Katlin stared at the man in disbelief. "People pay for your advice?"

Freesher reached into his pocket and presented Katlin with a small white card, which she took and read.

"Arthur Freesher. Marriage Counselor?" She asked. "But we're not married yet."

"So this is a freebie."

"Look, Love, the point is I beat him to the altar, all right?"

"And your 'Departmental Problem Solver' there just suggested we get rid of one groom without ever offering the helpful addition of 'how'."

"That would cost you extra, darlin'" the man replied. "But don't you worry. I know the right people. We can make him disappear, nice and clean like for ya'. I'm even willing to cut my usual rates. Sort of a wedding present."

"He's joking!" Orion answered her worried stare. "You're disturbing my bride, Arthur." he stated, turning to the man who was now pouring himself another drink.

"Too late." Freesher replied as he toasted them. "She marrying you, mate, she's already disturbed in my opinion."

Orion sighed as he took hold of Katlin's hands, turning her to him. "Love, listen to me. In just a few more minutes we won't have to worry about Johnathan anymore. You'll be married. Now, you were the person to come up with this scheme in the first place, so it must have been a good one. Because you, Love," he added, kissing her on the forehead, "only have wonderful ideas."

"Here!" Freesher stated. "No kissing the bride 'til the 'I do's' is done."

Orion all but ignored the man as he stared down at his bride. "All right?" he ask.

Katlin paused for a moment, then nodded finally with a small smile.

"All right then," Freesher stated, positioning himself back in front of the couple, "if there are no further objections, problems, or general issues needing resolving, it is my duty, my pleasure, and my right to pronounce that........."

Abruptly Freesher's next words were cut short by an alarm sounding. The man appeared to give it absolutely no notice whatsoever as he slammed his book shut in front of them.

"......I hope you both have a wonderful day. Black, you ready?"

"Noooo!" Orion screamed at the air as the alarm sounded. But he quickly grabbed the man's arm, looking for all the world like he was about to have some sort of breakdown.

"No....., Freesher," Orion plead, "mate, come on. One more line. Be a good lad. One line."

"Sorry." he stated, tucking the book in his jacket pocket. "Alert and all. Lets go."

Freesher turned back to his fellow agent to find himself staring down the business end of the man's wand.

"One line." Orion repeated in a low dangerous voice. "Be a good mate and say it."

Freesher considered his options for a minute before turning back to the couple before him as he yanked the small book out of his jacket pocket and rapidly flipped it open. "Fine!" he stated resolutely. "Right-o. I now pronounce you man and wife, kiss the little darlin' and let's get going."

Katlin turned quickly to her new husband with a confused look and was met by a quick peck on the lips.

"Orion?" she ask past a questioning look as he pulled back.

Orion sighed as he scowled at the alarm. "It's a Departmental call, Love. No refusing it. No waiting. No questions. It sounds, you come."

"Only reason they would be ringing that bell there, Darlin', is an emergency. So, come on, Black. We gots to emergency our arses to the office."

"Wait a minute? Why is he going?" Katlin asked, pointing at Freesher.

"I'm Departmental Chaplin, Darlin'." Freesher quickly answered her.

Katlin grabbed his arm. "But, Orion........."

Before Orion could respond to her plea, Freesher's hand suddenly shot out, catching hold of her wrist. "Here! Wait a minute!"

Orion didn't even realize what had attracted the man's attention until, with his hand wrapped in a tight grip about Katlin's wrist, he forced her arm over.

Showing clearly at the base of her arm was the telltale signs of Voldemort's mark.

Freesher grabbed the sleeve her shirt and pushed it up her arm, uncovering the rest of the mark. The man instantly turned a dumbfounded look to his friend.

"Mate, what's going on here?" he ask in barely a whisper.

Orion already had his wand out, pointed at the man. "Nothing you're going to remember." he replied.

A few minutes later Orion was setting the stage for their departure, picking up as though they had only just heard the alarm. Orion had explained to Katlin that this way was for the best all around. They were married, but they were also the only ones who would know. Which Katlin had reluctantly agreed was for the best.

Katlin watched through sad eyes as Orion roused his friend. Hardly an expression one expected on a woman who had just been married.

Freesher reacted to the sound of the alarm as though nothing at all had occurred but that.

"Time to go, mate." he stated.

"Katlin, I'm sorry." Orion apologized again to her cheerless expression. "I have to go. This has to be very serious. I'm sorry."

Freesher was standing near the bar, pouring himself another drink. "Black!"

Orion gave her a pleading look for understanding, then joined Freesher.

"Lovely." he stated. "We're headed into who knows what and you're drinking?"

"Look, what we're headed into is Bale running rampant through the department, ringing that bell. I need a good stiffener, I do."

Orion turned to Katlin one last time. "Love, I'll be back soon. I promise. Stay here. Whatever's going on, you'll be safe here."

Katlin stood watching the two men disapparate. The last thing she saw was her new husband lay a hand over his heart as he disappeared. She smiled slightly at the gesture, knowing that just under his hand, under the material of his own shirt, a gold ring hung from a chain around his neck. She had given it to him just before he woke Freesher up from the spell. The soul of forethought, Orion had had the rings already purchased, and, having had the foresight as well that they couldn't wear the wedding bands openly, had bought identical gold chains for both of them.

Katlin answered his gesture with one of her own as she laid her hand over her own wedding band, suspended from the same chain as her diamond pendent. She had not wanted to wear the band separate from her pendent. And so she had slipped it onto the small silver chain, where it now lay snuggly against her heart.

But as soon as they disappeared Katlin quickly grabbed her cloak and headed for the door. Whatever was going on, she bet it had something to do with the Deatheaters. And in that case, she needed to be at the lair.

****

Q&A

ENEMIES

Silverfox:

Seems to me someone's been first an awful lot lately.

Anyway, of course they posted the downtime notice late. They were down.(HA!)

I think they go by California time, which is unlike anyone else's time.

O.K.. Treaks. Good. Just wanted to make sure.

Who else is deserving? And still alive? I'm not sure, Dear. I'll have to take a poll on that one someday. I mean, there's always Voldemort. He's a Deatheater....and still alive.

Please, Dear, let's not have another philosophical discussion. I've managed t narrow it down to an entity with a personality. We're just going to have to work with that one.

Yup. Truly the sign of a good spamblocker when it deletes itself as spam.

I don't know that Bo's connection with Dementors is so much telepathic as just plain magical. I mean, are boggarts telepathic? We were never told specifically how they manage to know what you are most afraid of.

I don't know how, or if, an animal would effect a boggart. But my guess would be not at all. Animals understand fear, but it is more of a 'fight or flight' thing for them. I don't know that showing them a scary movie would bother them much. Also, I think boggarts are limited to effecting things of a slightly higher level intelligence. Hence, they seek out humans. Plus we're just so much fun to scare. And so dang easy.

Bo taking a tour of Azkaban? Not in the near future, Dear. As I said, Bo des not like Dementors. Going to a place that is literally crawling with them would be counterproductive to his avoiding them.

Skahducky:

If I have accomplished nothing else with this story, I learned to spell your name.

Orion has told Katlin everything she wanted to know? Hardly, Dear. He's told her everything she could remember r make reasonable associations about. Past that, he just hit the highlights. However, there's a matter of a certain lair that is no longer standing. And he has not seen fit to mention that yet.

Katlin has no intention of showing her 'real' face to any more people than she absolutely has too. So far, only two people have ever seen it. (Three, if you count Katlin herself.) The other two are Orion and Voldemort. So 'no', she is not planning to show her 'real' face to Treaks.

Family Relations is trying REAL hard to get posted early in 2005. But tomorrow I am meeting with my neurologist and we are discussing the possibility of my having to have surgery on both hands. This would be a problem with my posting anything any time soon, as that recovery is 12 weeks. Bummer. But keep in mind, that while it may not be being posted, it is being worked on. And the longer I take, the better (and longer) the story is. Currently I am revising it and making some adjustments to the story line. My guess is the story will run slightly longer than Family Life. I only hope it lives up to everyone's expectations. But that is currently my most read story, clocking in at over 121,000 hits. (Shameless plug.)

Thank you for being understanding about the delay, Dear.

Nessie:

Dear, I got tired just reading that!

I have heard Spyware is a bad thing.

Do not let parents play with your computer, Dear. This is also a bad thing. Worse than Spyware.

HEY NOW! I worked for Dell!!!!!! PAR is an official DCSE. (Dell Certified Service Engineer) So there!

Let me tell you about internet withdraw, Dear. I can not tell you how many time during our little weather power outages, tired of trying to read by the light of my small flashlight, I would get up, having decided to instead kill time by playing with the computer, only to be confronted with that horrible, shocking fact of life. (Computers do not run without electricity.)

In fact, during the first hurricane, I was confronted by three nasty facts of the relation between electricity and my current lifestyle.

1. If you do not have A/C, you do not have fans. (Funny how that works.)

2. Even if you have running water, the washing machine does not work without electricity.

3. I learned the nasty correlation between electricity and hot water in the shower.

Sits staring at the computer screen.

You have WHAT, Dear?

You didn't think about the scarring thing? Good heavens, woman! Have you not been following that lovely discussion I have been having for like the past ten chapters with Silverfox? That one's been unrelenting trying to figure Katlin's secret out. (And doing a good job of it, too.)

The chapter that was in was, I believe, What's In Your Cellar.

Orion is madly, hopelessly, head-over-heels, foolishly, stupidly, happily, truly in love. And no, it does not matter one bit to him what Katlin looks like.

'Lost'. Isn't that about the plane crash? I'm sorry, Dear. PAR needs shows that wrap up in an hour, not a season. Same reason I could never get into '24'. I am just too busy to have to schedule my life around making sure I'm home one specific night to watch a show. Same reason I gave up soap operas.

Besides, I've heard about the theories abut the show, ranging from they are dead and in purgatory t that they are part of some government experiment. Also, when you are writing a TV script, which is my current 'Wow, I'm being paid for this' project, I find watching TV distracting, although somewhat encouraging. I mean, have you seen the cp they have on!

Hobbits?! Where were you during that movie, Dear?! The dude playing the king was very nice eye candy. I don't remember much else.

Sorry for the regular updates, Dear. I am trying very hard to keep a schedule going here.

****

FAMILY LIFE

Potions and Snitches:

I am glad you like the story, Dear. And I have no problem with it being posted on other sites, as long as due credit is given.

Dedicated to the mentoring relationship between Harry and Snape? Well, there's a refreshing change. Most of these sites are dedicated to something a little less savory between Harry and his potions teacher.

Oh, well.

Very nice of you to include me, Dear.

Reviews are as of 11/14/2004.

And remember;

What's another word for Thesaurus?


	64. Chapter FortyNine E: Setting Free

A/N: Sorry for the delay, Dears. apparently wasn't accepting submissions last week.

Not my fault.

Anyway,

As always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Phhhfffftttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

****

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE E: SETTING FREE

It was near sunrise when Orion finally arrived home.

The whole of the night had been a whirlwind of activity at the Ministry. Reports had been coming in since the morning before that activity at the Deatheaters lair had sharply increased. People were coming and going all day almost non-stop.

Bale had sent out half the Department that night to scout about and get what information they could. If a Deatheater left the lair, Bale almost certainly had someone tailing them.

But Orion already knew what his superior was expecting. What he was planning for.

Bale was expecting an all out attack.

He was planning for war.

The most telling point for Orion in Bale's actions was that his superior had not sent him out with the others. In fact, Bale never let Orion out of his sight that whole night. He had instead been ordered to tail Bale like he was on a leash. If Bale turned around, he had told his top agent, he wanted to be looking into his eyes.

Orion had only been able to get a few hours off due to utter exhaustion. Bale had seen the fatigue gripping him earlier and had sent him home with orders to get a few hours sleep.

But sleep was the last thing on Orion's mind as he apparated into the foyer.

He had to see Katlin. There were no promised outcomes now. If the war came as he suspected, he would be on one side and she on the other. He tried desperately not to think of the possibilities, but there was no hiding from them now. One or both of them might not come back from this battle.

He had to see his wife one last time.

He had to talk to her.

He had to tell her the truth.

He had tried to plan this better. Had tried to find the right time to tell her the truth.

But time had just run out.

His earlier exhaustion forgotten, Orion hurried up the stairs.

"Katlin!"

Looking up, he suddenly came to an abrupt halt. In his haste he hadn't even seen her coming down the stairs herself.

"Orion?" her expression was utter confusion as she met his. "What is it? What's wrong?"

He wanted to ask questions. Find out what she knew about what was going on at the lair. What Voldemort was up to. Why the lair was suddenly so active.

But as he met her eyes, none of it seemed to matter to him anymore.

His eyes were captured by her's as reality again grabbed hold of him. This wasn't just his lover any longer. This wasn't just the woman he loved. The woman he slept with. Who he held in his arms at night. Who he wanted with his whole soul to protect.

She wasn't just that anymore.

She was his wife.

The thought caused his heart to tighten in his chest. How long would she stay so once she learned the truth?

Stopped where he was on the stairs, Orion slowly sank down to the steps until he was sitting on them.

A hand gently rested on his shoulder.

"Orion?"

Orion reached up and took her hand in his, guiding her to sit next to him.

"Love," he said softly as he caressed his thumb over her fingers, "we need to talk."

Katlin sat herself on the step just below him. Her two violet eyes stared up at him with concern. "There's trouble, isn't there?" she ask. "At the lair everyone is running about, coming and going. Voldemort is still gone. Johnathan is shouting orders at everyone. He won't tell me a thing of what is going on. He refuses to even speak to me. He's up to something, Orion. If he ever does look at me, he does so like I'm something that's simply gotten in his way. I don't like this. Something....."

Orion quickly placed his hand over her mouth. "Katlin, I could not care less right now if Treaks lit himself on fire and invited the whole Department over for a weenie roast. Right now, the only thing that concerns me, is you."

Katlin smiled slightly. This man had two very definite sides to him. When he was sweet, he was very, very sweet. But when he was irritating, he was very, VERY irritating. The problem was she couldn't decide for herself which he was being at the moment. His words were gentle, and she could practically feel the love wrapped around each one.

But he wasn't telling her anything.

"Orion, what's going on?" she asked.

Orion managed a small smile, unable to hide the hint of sadness in it as he looked down at her. Gently he reached down and touched her cheek.

"I can't believe you're my wife." he said gently. "It's like a wonderful dream that I absolutely never want to wake up from."

Katlin didn't back off from the sentiment in the least as she rested her hand over his and leaned into his touch. "Why should you ever have to?" she asked.

Orion's expression shifted at her words. His smile faded as he dropped his head. Because sometimes we do things....." his vice slowly trailed off.

Katlin's hand came to rest on his arm. "What things?" she ask him. "Orion, what has happened? Please tell me."

Orion slowly lifted his head. "I have to tell you something, Katlin." he said quietly, each word being forced out. "And what you do afterwards I leave solely with you."

"Tell me what?" she whispered, fear seizing her heart.

Orion took a long, stabling breath. "When you first left," he began, "when you first had the Memory Charm placed on you......Katlin, I thought I would lose my mind." He gave a soft, hurt laugh. "I think I did, actually. Charly tried to warn me. To tell me I was losing control." He sighed as he turned to the ceiling. "All I knew then was this terrible, frightening loneliness. And a pain that held my heart and felt like it was never going to let go. I tried to tell myself that what you did was right. Over and over I repeated that phrase." He shook his head. "But it didn't help. Nothing did. Not telling myself how right it was. Or all the nights I sat in this house, drinking myself into oblivion. Nothing helped....because nothing mattered to me anymore. And at some point...I just let go. I let go of hope, of belief, of anything that let me think that you would ever be a part of my life again. And with that final acceptance....I thought I could let go of the pain as well. But I didn't." He said quietly. "I just gave it a new name."

"A new name?" Katlin ask.

"Anger." He replied with a touch of bitterness in his voice now. "I wanted someone to blame that you had left, and I couldn't bring myself to look in the mirror. So, I looked around me instead. I looked for someone who I could easily blame. Who I could easily lay all of my pain, and hurt, and anger at their feet and blame it all on them. And I found a most convenient target."

Katlin's eyes carefully swept his face. "Who?"

Orion slowly turned his eyes to her. "The Deatheaters." he said. "I looked at them and I saw them as solely responsible for all that had happened. They were the ones who had come between us. They were the ones responsible for why you left. They were responsible for taking you from me. And the more I thought about it, the more I convinced myself, and the angrier I became. Until I felt I had to do something about it or it would eat me alive finally."

Katlin's eyes now anxiously searched his face. "And what did you do?" she ask quietly.

Orion bowed his head again. He wanted to stop here. He desperately wanted to lie. To tell her anything rather than what he had actually done.

But he shook off the idea.

She was his wife.

His friend, his lover, his very life.

She deserved the truth.

"One night I went to the lair." he told her. "The old lair." He was unable to look at her now as he studied the steps below him instead. "I took Bo with me......and...." his voice trailed off.

Katlin's grip on his arm tightened slightly. "What did you do?" she ask, her voice edged with her growing anxiety as she stared up at him. "Orion," she repeated when he didn't answer her. "Tell me. What did you do?"

The answer was barely a whisper on a shaking breath. "I destroyed it."

Katlin's eyes flew wide in disbelief. "You what!?"

"I destroyed it." Orion repeated. "Down to the last stone. That was my hatred. My anger. My rage. My grief." he added quietly. "I used all of it to bring down the lair."

Orion sat as still as stone on the steps. He didn't think he even remembered to breathe as he waited for her reaction. Now she knew him completely. She now knew what kind of man he was. What kind of monster he could be.

And so he waited for her pass judgment on what he had confessed.

The weight of her hand on his arm didn't lessen at all. It did not, in fact, move at all.

Very slowly he lifted his head. At first he only continued to stare down the stairs before him. But finally he slowly turned his face to look at her.

Her face was absolutely unreadable to him. Whatever she was feeling, she had locked it tightly away underneath a mask of calm composure.

Orion turned back to once more studying the stairs, waiting to see if she would say anything. But finally the silence stretched too long for him.

"I just wanted you to know the truth." he said finally.

Katlin sighed quietly. "I don't condone what you did, Orion. I never shall. It was wrong, no matter the reasons. But....we both made mistakes. Terrible, awful mistakes. And all that our actions bought for us was to bring us right back where we were. I guess if one good thing can be said, then at least no one suffered for our actions but ourselves."

"And a whole lair of Deatheaters."

Katlin turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"Katlin, I destroyed your lair. A whole mountain."

"The lair, yes." Katlin corrected. "But Orion, no one died when the lair collapsed."

Orion stared at her for a full minute. "No one?"

Katlin shook her head. "After the lair collapsed Voldemort summoned everyone to another lair in the south. When we took a census, everyone was accounted for."

"But that's not possible. Bo........." Orion suddenly stopped as he stared into the darkness of the foyer. "Bo." he echoed.

"Bo?" Katlin ask.

"Bo must have made sure everyone was out before he destroyed the lair."

"But why would he do that? He only does what you tell him to do."

"Not exclusively." Orion replied. "Bo can think for himself very well when he wants to. But sometimes he doesn't quite understand what I'm asking him to do, so he improvises. He must have thought I was angry at the lair itself, not the people in it. So he thought I didn't want any thing 'living' in the lair destroyed. Just the lair itself."

Katlin sighed to herself as she followed his stare. "Sometimes I think your boggart makes more sense than anyone."

"He has his moments." Orin echoed her sigh in the dim light. "Katlin, you know our marriage isn't finalized. I haven't sent off to the registry, so we're not legally married yet."

Katlin turned quickly to him. "What are you saying!?" she ask, her voice taking on a slightly higher pitch then usual.

Orion continued staring ahead. "I'm saying that now you know the kind of man you married. You know what I'm capable of. You know what I can do. You know what I am. And.....if you......" Orion paused as he fought to keep his voice steady. "If you would rather I didn't finalize the marriage, I will understand why." He gave a small, humorless laugh. "I'm not exactly what you bargained for."

A pair of arms quickly found their way around his neck. "Orion Black, you are exactly what I bargained for. I married you. And I did that with the intention of being your wife. Not just through the good times, but through all of our lives. And as for the kind of man you are, I have always known that. You are kind, and sensitive, and loving."

"A man who lovingly destroyed you lair?"

"You weren't agonizing over a bunch of crumpled stones, Orion. You thought people had died. People who were important to me. Some of them bad. Some of them, like Kristin, who were just innocents caught up in a very dangerous game. But you cared. How many others wouldn't have?"

Orion managed a small smile. "So, you're going to keep me?"

Katlin leaned forward and gently brushed her lips against his. "You get those papers finalized and registered, Mr. Black. Or I'll do it myself."

Orion wrapped an arm about her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

Katlin snuggled under his arm, pressing her face against the side of his chest as she wrapped her arms about his waist.

"I can't believe we are actually married." he sighed happily.

Katlin giggled slightly.

"Being married to me is funny, Love?" he ask, glancing down at her.

Katlin shook her head. "Oh, I'm sure it'll have it's moments." She replied. "Like last night."

"Last night?"

"You can't believe we're married." she answered. "And I can't believe I spent my wedding night with Johnathan Treaks."

Orion's smile grew at bit wider at the thought. "Well, I hope he enjoyed it. It's the last chance he'll ever get."

Katlin snuggled up closer to him. All that interested her now was a few precious hours in the arms of her husband.

****

Q&A

Silverfox:

Well, currently Voldemort, along with everyone else, knows nothing about it.

Had not thought about that. But you're probably right. Katlin probably knows a few more shady characters than most.

Orion and Katlin are legally married..., sort of. First off, as you noted in this chapter, Orion married her without finalizing any of the papers, or registering the marriage license.

Katlin could still back out of the marriage is she wanted to. But she appears to be perfectly happy to be Mrs. Orion Black from now on.

True, the fact that the Justice of the Peace never said her name could bring the marriage into question. But that was more the author's oversight than the Justice of the Peace.

As to Katlin's name? She would not use 'Griss', since that is not her legal name. Her name legally is Katlin Hekren. She is now Katlin Hekren-Black. That is the name that will go on the marriage license.

Is Voldemort a Deatheater? I kind of look at that along the same line of 'Is the Pope Catholic?' However, before Voldemort there were no Deatheaters, so............?

In this story Voldemort is still fairly sane. I think I have mentioned this before. Although I hesitate to use that word, since even in Rowlings' books, I would not call him insane. A bit fanatical, maybe, but not insane.

I'm afraid there are no plans in the near future to torture Treaks. Sorry.

I agree with you totally, Dear. In order for a boggart to frighten you, he has to know what frightens you. And in order to know that he would have to take it out of your mind. Hence, telepathy. However, when that is all the creature does, is it telepathy, or just a natural instinctive knowing? That was my point. And the ball is in your court, Dear.

Yes, sudden movements and loud noises tend to frighten animals. But I have news for you. They scare me too. But whereas a ghost would frighten me, it would not likely frighten my cat if it came with a large piece of steak in its hand. It would, in fact, be my cats new best friend at that point.

I always thought of Dementors as pretty basic. Sort of like dogs, as you said. Emotions to them are food. So they simply 'sniff out' where the food is and go to it.

Well, Bo meeting Dementors isn't something he would look forward to, Dear, that's for sure. Bo already has a history with Dementors, and it isn't a pleasant one. In fact, the result of that encounter was Hershal Bennett.

Well, based on that most everything on television is c--p, I find I like fanfiction much better. And since my agent suggested I try writing a romance story, I've sort of gotten into those as well. They are such fun mind candy. But it's all in the way of research, you understand.

Kayette:

Thank you, Dear.

All reviews are as of 11/27/2004.

And remember;

A man was reported in serious condition at the hospital after he robbed a local bank and then swallowed the entire $250,000 to destroy the evidence.

No change is expected.


	65. Chapter FortyNine F: Beginnings

A/N: And so we come to the end. Yes, folks, this is the last chapter, despite the title.

I appreciate all of you who have read this story through. I appreciate your reviews, your comments, and even your critiques. But mostly I appreciate the questions. Through them you pointed out inconsistencies in the story and helped me tighten everything up.

The next story out will be Runaway, which is, of all things, a Katlin and Harry story. And although it may not seem like it if you chose to read it, the story was written as a lark. It is purely for fun. Nothing ominous to look for. Everything you are told is straight forward. No hidden meanings. I felt you guys deserved a break after this one.

If you didn't get all the little subplots and hidden agendas in Enemies, don't feel left out. I doubt anyone really got all of them. Especially (if you even recall it) the fact that the one thing that started it all was never resolved. You were never told who really killed Orion's contact in Austria. Nobody even questioned me about that.

I didn't just get bored with the idea and forget it, folks. It was purposefully left out. The answer to that, while in this story if you look things over and think about it, will be spelled out more clearly in Family Ties, the third installment of the Family's story arc. Yes, indeed, it all ties together.

Also, just curious, but did anyone else notice in my last A/N, the word 'fanfiction' is missing? Perhaps we need to spell it fan-fctn or so now.

And oh, look, still a forty-nine chapter story!

And now,

as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: If you're still trying to prove something at this point, you have way too much time on your hands. Go get a hobby, for heavens sake!

****

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE F: BEGINNINGS

Orion wished he could say that everything settled down after he had told Katlin about the attack on the lair. Once he had told her the truth and she had agreed to stay married to him, he couldn't get down to the records office fast enough to file their license. Now he had hoped finally they could start their life together as husband and wife. More than anything else he was looking forward to coming home to her each day. To starting each evening with a peaceful drink before a cozy, cheerful fire. Then on to a leisurely dinner as he talked over the days events with her. And finally then to bed, sent off to sleep wrapped in the warm, affectionate arms of the woman he loved.

A scene that was as far from reality as anything could get at the moment.

Instead Orion arrived home most evenings so utterly exhausted he wouldn't have much cared if Tets had roasted and served him for dinner, just as long as he was allowed to sleep. But Tets always managed to get him to eat something, even if it was just a cold sandwich before he labored up the stairs to bed. A bed that was too often cold and empty.

This was not married life as he had envisioned it. Even his parents, both Aurors, had found a way to work a family life into their time. Surely he could do as much.

But his wish seemed determined to elude him as he apparated into the foyer. He gave a heavy sigh as he dropped his briefcase in the foyer and shrugged off his coat. It had been an unusually hard day at the Ministry. Three attacks in one day by the Deatheaters. They were getting far too active for his liking as of late. Attacks escalating. Getting bolder.

Something was happening.

And it wasn't anything good.

Orion had resolved that day that he was going to broach the subject with Katlin. If she refused to answer, he would let it go at that. But if there was a reason for the unusual increase in the Deatheaters activities, he wanted to know. Were they planning for the war Bale felt sure was coming, or was this something else? Some other plan Voldemort was working on to rub his growing support in the Ministry's face.

He knew just starting into such a conversation with her was risky. And he would, as always, back off if she ask him to. The few times he had seem her over the past few days had been brief at best. She never even mentioned anything going on at the lair. Not even what Treaks was up to.

He had hoped to ask her over dinner. She was usually a lot less volatile when she was eating. But by the time he finally was able to apparate home it was already well past midnight.

Things were not working in his favor at all.

"Katlin." He called into the silence that greeted him. "Are you home, Love?"

Silence.

Well, that certainly solved the problem of whether or not to talk to her tonight or not. It was very hard to carry on a conversation with someone when they weren't there.

With a quiet sigh, Orion climbed the stairs, ready to simply head off to bed. If she was gone this late, she may not come home at all. Not an unusual situation over the past several days. More than once he had woken up only to find all he had was her pillow for company.

Tonight would likely be one of those nights.

Maybe her absence had something to do with the escalations in the attacks. Maybe there was a meeting about it. She hadn't given the slightest indication anything had changed at the lair. Or that Voldemort was changing his tactics. Maybe the escalating attacks were by some overly ambitious lower ranks, and the meeting that night was to reign them in.

Orion shook his head as he opened the door to their bedroom. 'Time to put it away for the day.' he told himself. He was devoting far too much time to the Deatheaters these days.

Orion walked into the room and walked over to the bed. He had just started to take off his shirt when he stopped abruptly.

Standing by the window facing towards the back of the house, a lone figure stood silhouetted in the moonlight, it's arms folded in front of it.

Katlin.

Orion slowly walked over to her. For all the world she acted as though she had no idea he was there. He half expected her to jump when he wrapped his hands gently over her shoulders.

But she didn't so much as move.

By her reflection in the window, Orion could see the trail of tears down her cheeks.

"Love," he ask softly, reaching up and brushing one line of tears off her face, "what is it? What's wrong?"

Katlin lowered her head as she closed her eyes.

"Today.......," she began in an almost normal voice, but one that faltered quickly as she fought to regain her composure, "this evening.............there was an attack." She stopped again as she slowly shook her head. "I didn't know." she practically wailed as her composure began to collapse again as she hugged her arms tighter about herself.

Orion slowly wrapped his arms about her. For several minutes he just held her that way until she gathered herself back together.

Whatever had happened, he would let her tell him in her own time.

For several minutes he could feel her fighting to regain a grip on her emotions.

"There was an attack." she started again. "Voldemort led it himself." Again her composure broke even as she fought to hold onto it. Her voice fell to a whisper. "He never told me."

Orion tightened his arms about her. He had never in all their time together seen her so completely devastated. But until he knew what was wrong, he didn't know how to help her.

Katlin lifted her head as she stared out at the moon lit yard through fresh tears. "I'd have stopped him." she said through a quiet, hollow voice. "I'd have told him not to go. It was too dangerous. Something would happen. He should have just left them alone. They weren't that important. Just......just some....just some stupid wizard and his wife and their child. What did they matter? Why were they so important?" Katlin all but collapsed in his hold as she broke into a flood of tears. "Why did he have to go?" She moaned in a soft cry.

Orion turned her about to face him and pulled her to him. She buried herself in his arms and howled as he felt ever muscle under him tighten against the pain.

What in Magic's name had happened?

"Katlin," he ask softly, gently stroking her hair as he tried to calm her down a little, "Love, please, tell me what's wrong?"

He wasn't going to force her. He needed to know what had her so upset, but he would stand there all night if he had to if that's what she needed.

"Voldemort..........," was the first coherent word he heard after several minutes. But she faltered again and fell silent in his arms.

Orion sighed as he continued stroking her hair. "What about Voldemort?" he ask gently.

Katlin slowly pulled back from him. It took her a few moments before she turned her tear-stained face to him. Her voice was so soft and quiet, he could barely hear what she said.

"Orion.............., he's dead."

Orion was absolutely sure that nothing in the world she could have told him could have shocked him more.

Voldemort was dead?

It wasn't possible. He would have known. The Ministry would have known.

With complete confusion and disbelief he stared back at her. "Dead?"

Katlin nodded as she lowered her head again and folded herself back into his arms. "He led an attack on the house of James Potter."

James Potter! Orion's eyes snapped open. That was Sirius' friend.

Orion's eyes quickly narrowed in thought. James Potter was a competent wizard to be sure. But to have managed to kill Voldemort?

"James Potter killed Voldemort?" Orion ask.

Katlin shook her head. "No." she said in a whispered voice. "Voldemort killed him."

Orion thought. Potter had a wife. What was her name?

"Lily?" Orion ask as the name came to him.

Katlin shook her head again.

Well, who did that leave? Surely not...........?

Orion suddenly grabbed Katlin by the shoulders and pulled her back to face him. Who else would have been there? Who was always at that house. Nearly since the day James and his wife had brought their new son home. Who had nearly taken up residence in their house since then?

"Katlin........," he asked slowly, "Katlin, it wasn't my brother, was it? It wasn't Sirius?"

The panic in his voice was as clear as her pain. Anyone facing Voldemort, win or lose, was not likely to be in good shape afterwards.

Orion steeled himself up to hear the worst. But Katlin's reaction was the last he expected.

She laughed.

But not just a laugh. It was more of a giggle. As thought he had just told her something very funny.

Katlin shook her head as she giggled. "Harry." Was all she managed to get out.

Harry? Who was Harry?

He didn't have long to ponder the question as Katlin went on, still with that half-insane giggle.

"He was killed.........," she staggered getting it out, "by Harry."

Orion stared back at her. "Who's Harry?" Was the only thing he could think to say.

Katlin giggled again, but this time with tears in her eyes once more. "Harry," she explained, "is James and Lily Potter's son."

Orion stood in shocked silence, staring back at her.

Their son? Harry?

But, James Potter's son was...........what had Sirius last told him.........just over a year old?

"But Harry's a baby." Orion stated in disbelief.

Katlin nodded past a sniffled giggle. "Yup."

Orion stared back at her harder. "You're telling me................that Voldemort.....the dark lord of the Deatheaters..........was........"

".....snuffed by a baby." Katlin finished for him past a gushing of that insane giggling.

Something here just wasn't right. Orion stared back at her. "Katlin, how do you know this?" he ask.

Abruptly her whole expression shifted before him. Her face hardened and her eyes narrowed.

"How could I not know!?" she stated in a surprisingly clear voice. "I was closest to him. I knew him better than anyone else." Her expression suddenly melted back into its grief. "I felt it." she whispered. "All of it. The pain. The fear. Just...........it was like a at me through the night. I could almost hear it. It was like his last breath seeking me out. Telling me what had happened."

Orion didn't doubt her words. But she knew too many details to just be basing everything on a feeling.

"Katlin," he ask slowly, "if you felt all of this, how do you know it was Harry that killed him?"

"Others." she whispered, "There were others there. They told me."

Of course. She was head of the Elite.

A sudden thought struck him.

She was also likely now their leader.

If Voldemort was indeed gone, leadership of the Deatheaters would fall to Katlin.

Orion stared down at the woman curled back up in his arms.

At his wife.

Leader of the Deatheaters.

"What are you going to do now?" he asked her slowly.

Katlin shook her head. "I don't know."

"With Voldemort gone, you are now their leader." he added.

Katlin nodded as she slowly pulled back from him. "I know. They've already come to me, asking what to do."

Orion tried to keep any sound of excitement out of his voice. A pack of directionless Deatheaters, looking to her for purpose.

Their new leader.

His wife.

"Katlin," Orion stated quietly, "don't let this escalate. You have to stop it."

Katlin looked up at him from where she stood against the window with her arms folded in front of her. "Stop it?" she ask in a toneless voice.

"Katlin, they are going to look to you for direction now. For their purpose. You are their new dark lord. Don't let them keep on in the madness Voldemort was leading them into. You can stop it. You..............."

"Madness!?" The word was like a slap in the face to Orion. "What madness?"

"Katlin, the man was killing people. Witches and wizards. And who knows how many muggles?"

"He was dealing out justice to those who sought to expose us to danger." she replied in a voice very unlike her own. "He protected us against those who were trying to expose us. Who were too blind to see what their actions would ultimately lead to. He was fighting for his people. For his race."

"By killing them?"

"The insurgents had to be dealt with."

"You are not that blind! You know better than that!"

Katlin narrowed her eyes at him. "I know better than you, Auror."

"If you did then you would see just as clearly what he was leading you to."

"I know what he was leading us to. To a better world for our kind. Safe from those who would use and manipulate us. He was trying to help............."

"By killing a little, helpless baby, Katlin?"

"And you don't know what rea.................." But Katlin stopped abruptly. Her expression changed in an instant from one of outright anger to one of utter surprise.

Orion stood staring at her, unsure of what had caused her to stop so abruptly.

"Katlin?" he ask.

But Katlin didn't seem to even hear him. Instead she was now standing with her right arm out, her left hand wrapped about it as she held it up, her open palm facing her.

"It can't be." she whispered.

Orion hurried over to her. He wasn't sure what to see that she was staring at so intently. He half expected to see some remarkable, noticeable change in the dark mark on her forearm. The permanent reminder to him that she was forever Voldemort's subject. His willing slave.

With all his heart he hoped to see the mark gone.

But it was still there. As clear as ever.

But he could see no other change in it, or what had attracted Katlin's attention so suddenly.

"Love, what is it?" he ask, wrapping an arm about her waist as he studied the mark for anything he was missing.

But Katlin only shook her head slowly. "He's not dead." she whispered. A smile crept slowly over her lips as she stared intently at the mark.

"He's not dead." she whispered a second time Abruptly she threw herself into his arms. "He's not dead! He's not dead!" she sang out with a sudden, overwhelming joy in her voice.

Orion had to fight for his balance as Katlin bounced about in his arms, reciting the same phrase over and over.

"He's not dead!"

Regaining his footing, Orion eased her back. "Katlin.........,"

But Katlin cut him off quickly as she held out her arm. "He's not dead, Orion!" she cried happily. "He called me. I felt it. He's alive!"

Orion looked at the mark again as she held it up to him. But to him the mark remained as it had been. There was no change at all that he could see.

"Love, it looks the same as always." he commented carefully.

"No. I felt it." Katlin cried out in the same exuberant voice. "He called me. He's alive."

Orion gave her a worried stare.

"I felt it." Katlin answered the look. "He is alive." A look of sudden determination came to her face. "He needs me. He wouldn't have called if he didn't need me." She was already headed for the closet to get a robe. "I have to go to him."

Orion grabbed her arm and stopped her. She was in no condition to be running about the country side. "Katlin. Wait."

She tried to shake off his hold. "Orion, I have to go to him. He needs me."

Orion tried to keep his expression neutral. Trying not to show his concern. "Love, you just got done telling me he was dead. Now you're running off to some meeting with him?"

Understanding brought a quick frown to her face. "I am not insane." she stated firmly. "I felt him call me, Orion. He's alive. And if he's alive, he's likely hurt and needs help. He needs a healer. That is why he called me. The call wasn't that strong. But it was there. I did not imag........." But Katlin stopped abruptly again. This time gripping her arm in pain. She quickly turned back to Orion.

"He needs me." she stated fiercely. "Now."

Orion grabbed her arm again, stopping her. "Katlin, if he's alive, the Ministry has to know. They'll want to know where he is."

Katlin stared back at him, her expression utterly defiant. "And you'll never find us." she stated resolutely. "I'll hide him if I have to."

"And if he's alive, I have to report it to the Ministry." he informed her.

Katlin's expression hardened deeper. "You think I would tell you such a thing?" she all but hissed at him. "You would even dare to ask it of me. That I betray him in such a way? When he is most vulnerable?" Tears slowly came back to her eyes as she stared up at him. "How could you even ask such a thing of me? How?"

Orion stared down at her, the tears slowly brimming over and rolling down her cheeks. It wasn't 'him'. It wasn't Voldemort who had caused her pain this time.

This time he could claim that right all to himself. Her husband. Without thought, or caring, he had ask her to do the one thing he knew she would never do. Betray the man she loved. Who she worshiped. Who she looked to for so many years as mentor, friend, and guardian.

And he had wholly, callously expected her to do it. Without thought or question.

He hadn't cared how she felt. What it meant to her that Voldemort might still be alive. He had only thought what it meant to him. To his being. His title.

His Department.  
'Stop being a damn Auror for once', he admonished himself harshly. 'Try instead just being her husband'.

Orion reached his hand out to her. "Katlin......."

Katlin pulled back from him, the anger still glowing brightly in her eyes.

"Katlin, listen to me, Love." he said gently, still holding his hand out to her. "If you need.....anything.......you know you need only call me. I will be here for you."

Katlin paused, staring up at him. Slowly the anger in her eyes melted, finally reflecting only the tears. She quickly ran into his arms. She gave him a tear stained kiss, and then apparated out of his embrace. A whispered 'I love you' filling the space where she had last stood.

****

Q&A

ENEMIES

Silverfox:  
I took you by surprise? GO ME!!!!!!!!

The big consequences come later, Dear. Keep in mind what the ramifications of using 'The Power' are on the one who uses them. And destroying the lair was a bit more than casual usage. That was full, all out manipulation of 'The Power'. It was no cute, cuddly little playtime with our favorite boggart. That was 'The Power' in all of its glory. So don't think for one minute Orion escaped unscathed. There is a price to pay for what he did. And in Family Ties, Orion will learn what that price is.

Unfortunately, Freesher holds his liquor like a glass bottle holds gin. Very well. But as I said, the fact he never said Katlin's name was more my oversight than the poor Justice Of The Peace. But the Memory Charm took care of his recalling any of it.

I don't think there's much question Voldemort is a dark wizard. And based on your logic, I'll concede the Deatheater question to you.

As I said, I think whatever form of telepathy a boggart possesses, it is very basic at best. Though I still would hesitate to call it telepathy and not just an innate ability.

Bo meeting with Dumbledore? I'm afraid what you saw of such a meeting in this story is about as far as I ever take that, Dear. There's really no point. I think the best way to describe that situation is to say that Dumbledore knows what Bo is, but I wouldn't say 100 that he understands what he is. No one outside of the Black family can really do that.

I do hope to see you back for Runaway.

I enjoy your reviews immensely.

Nessie:  
Yes, Dear, finally married.

'Bout time, too.

No, no, Dear, they are 100 legally married. The license has been filed and they are completely legal as of this chapter.

Katlin probably knows more about Orion right now than Charly does. A fact his partner is aware of and one that sits none too well with him.

Yup. Still on chapter 49. Funny that.

Why are your glands swollen, Dear? Did PAR miss something?

Freesher seemed 'hammered'? That's not a term I'm familiar with. I hope it's not a terribly bad thing.

Glad you enjoyed the chapters, Dear. Hope you enjoyed the story.

I definitely hope to seeing you back for Runaway.

BellaMonte:

Sorry, Dear. I just went shopping and 'tis the season'ed myself out.

But..........since you are so wonderful with your review............I will give you this. (And it's more than I probably should, knowing me and deadlines.)

Before Family Relations comes out, Runaway has to come out first, because it deals with the relationship between Harry and Katlin, which is part of Family Relations. (Consider it. Based on this story, what is Katlin's relationship to Harry now?) The one thing you have to remember about the that story, is it is very appropriately named. It isn't so much a story about Harry and Voldemort or any of the other characters as is it a story about the relationships between them. And as someone once ask me, 'Is there any bonding in the story?' Oh yes. But I'll bet my whole month's salary it ain't the ones you're thinking of. But based on the current timeline I am working with, I hope to have Family Relations started by Spring.

You're dreading terrible things? Well, yes and no. Family Relations is written in exactly the same vein as Family Life. It's not overly serious. I mean, it has a plot and all, but it's more of a 'summer on the beach' kind of read. I want my readers to enjoy themselves. Not bite their nails off to the quick. And as an added consolation prize, I will throw in that it will likely be longer than Family Life.

An English Major? Oh, good for you, Dear. Especially if you have aspirations of being a writer. Editors just love English Majors!

You respect my crazy RL? What crazy RL would that be, Dear?

Now you're just pressing your luck. Another preview chapter? Well........, maybe. Since your review was so nice and I am so easily swayed by nice reviews lauding praise on me, I'll see what I can do. And if I do put up chapter four, I'll make sure everyone knows they have you to thank for it and your nice review.

Harry is most definitely going to need to rely on both his godfather and his would-be uncle to make it through all he'll face in Family Relations. But Harry'll be relying more Orion than Sirius, since, as I have often said, Sirius is not in Family Relations a great deal. But Orion makes a nice contrast to his brother's often over-indulging nature.

Hope finals went well.

Skahducky:  
Literally, I must have gotten off the internet and you posted your review. That's the only way I could have missed you last time.

It would not have mattered to Treaks to see Katlin's face. He was not marrying her for love, but for the power he would gain by being her husband.

I appreciate your concern, Dear. PAR has Carpel Tunnel Syndrome in both her hands. If you're not familiar with that (or if I spelled it very wrong), this is where you suffer bouts of numbness in your hands. Mine is to the point the numbness is so bad it is painful. My hands often feel like they are on fire. So far shots have curbed the pain. But I am afraid it may have gone beyond that and I may need surgery. Thankfully the surgery is very common these days and very safe. In fact, one of the men I work within my office had the procedure done last week. I am eager to see how his surgery came out. Sometimes, for some reason, the procedure does not work and it does not relieve the pain at all. Always a possibility. We'll just have to wait and see.

Never apologize for being late, Dear. I'm the last one that can criticize someone for that.

Orion is making plans what to do when the war starts. It goes something like this, 'Protect you and yours'. That always is and always will be his first concern. His family. Being the oldest, he has that nasty over-protective tendency that annoys the c--p out of those of us who are the younger members. (PAR is the baby in her family!)

I think a lot of people forgot about the lair, Dear. Just as most people seem to have forgotten about a dead currier.

There is NO WAY this would have gone as well had Katlin learned the truth from someone else. But that chance was slim at best. No one knows Orion was the one who destroyed the lair. There are those who suspect, but they have no proof.

Bale kept Orion by his side because Orion is his best agent. Sort of his second-in-command. If anything happened to Bale, the others would look to Orion for leadership. Bale knows this and wanted to make sure Orion was appraised of everything that was going on should he have to take over.

Hope you enjoyed it, Dear.

Hope to see you back for Runaway.

****

FEVER

SBR:

No, Dear, that was the end. PAR does not 'discontinue' stories. Once I set the course, I stay on it until it is finished. I don't do that 'I got bored so I dropped it' thing. Go read the Bio page.

Yes, the 'Remus' error was caught by many people. I never prided myself on my spelling ability. Again, go read the Bio page.

So glad you enjoyed it, Dear. And such a nice review.

Thank you.

****

ODE TO HARRY POTTER SUMMARIES

Raiining:

Thank you. Rotten summaries are a pet peeve of mine. After reading numerous summaries that just made me grind my teeth, I felt I needed an outlet for a lot of pent-up frustration. This little prose seemed the perfect way.

So glad you enjoyed it.

Reviews are as of 12/04/2004.

And remember;

Trees deserve a merry Christmas too. Go artificial this year. Start a family tradition.


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